Rainbow After The Storm
by milesprower06
Summary: Sequel to Journal of the Cupcake Killer and finale to the Cupcake Chronicles. Applejack and Rainbow confront doubts about their new relationship, and supernatural occurrences begin happening in Ponyville.
1. Prologue: Leaving The Nest

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Prologue

Leaving The Nest

CLOUDSDALE

THREE YEARS AGO

The light gray Pegasus Stormcloud walked purposefully through the puffy white neighborhoods of Cloudsdale, now with a warm orange tint given by the setting sun. Needless to say, this was not how he had hoped to spend his evening. The cumulus homes had towering pillars, overhangs, and more of the various architecture of Cloudsdale's Pegusi ancestors. The streets were mostly empty this time of evening, as most Pegusi were having dinner, or tending to their young.

In a way, Stormcloud was doing that just now, giving a stern glance to the teenaged filly walking behind him. The cyan Pegasus had a look of defiance in her eyes, and dried blood was caked on her muzzle, having dripped from her nose hours earlier. Her rainbow tail twitched as her magenta eyes met her father's gaze.

"Anything to say for yourself, Rainbow?" Stormcloud asked. The filly said nothing, remaining silent with a pout on her face. The pair of Pegasi continued into the neighborhood, and stopped at a medium sized, one-story cloud abode. When they entered the front door, the tirade was about to continue, for there stood Rainbow's mother, Firefly. She was a light pink Pegasus with quite the contrasting rich blue mane.

"Young lady, I am very disappointed in you. You have been warned time and again, by us, by your instructors, NOT to get into any more fights. This is the last straw." she said. That was the breaking point for Rainbow, and she lashed out.

"I don't care! I wasn't gonna stand there and let them say those things about me!" she yelled. "Rainbow, it doesn't matter what they say about you. Even if they are calling you a...a...fillyfooler. Why does it upset you if those things aren't true?" her mom asked. "Because other ponies can believe lies. I'm just supposed to let them spread rumors and lies about me?" Rainbow angrily asked. "Starting fights isn't the answer." Stormcloud countered.

Rainbow disagreed. They weren't there. They didn't have to deal with it all day. They didn't have to try and block out the laughing, the teasing, the taunting, and concentrate on their flying. Even with her fiery temper and brash attitude; if there's one thing Rainbow couldn't stand, it was a bully.

"You have got to change. Just because your cutie mark means you love competing and winning, you don't have to push ponies around when they do something you don't like. News of your behavior has gotten all over Cloudsdale. How am I supposed to concentrate on my work at the Weather Factory when ponies in the break room are talking about how my daughter is acting in flight school?" Stormcloud sternly asked. Rainbow was on the verge of crying, tears pricking her eyelids. Her parents were wrong. She didn't do these things because of her cutie mark. She was fighting because she was sick of the lies being spread about her.

But she knew her parents wouldn't listen.

"I won't let them say anything they want about me." she said defiantly. "Rainbow, you've been expelled. Now what are you going to do? Hmm? I think it'd be best if you offered to apologize to the school, and the ponies you fought with." her father told her. Rainbow's eye's widened.

"No! No way! They deserved it! Apologizing to bullies is the last thing I'll do!" Rainbow protested.

"Rainbow Dash," Stormcloud sternly addressed his daughter, "this isn't a request. Your future is on the line. Find a way to apologize, or see yourself out of this house."

The ultimatum speared Rainbow in the heart. She swallowed, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. If that's the way it had to be, then that's the way it had to be.

"Fine." she said coldly, turning on her rear hooves, and made her way out the front door. She leaped up, spreading her wings and taking flight into the Equestrian night. She got some distance between her and Cloudsdale before releasing her pent-up frustration and sadness in mid-air sobs. She didn't know where to go. She had nowhere to go.

But right then, anywhere was better than back home.


	2. Revelations and Love FULL VERSION

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 1

Revelations and Love

_Applejack sat alone in the waiting room of Ponyville Urgent Care. The tile floor felt ice cold against her hooves. With every passing second, every pounding beat of her heart, she felt like she was getting jabbed with needles. How long had she been sitting here? Fifteen minutes? An hour? Two hours? It was impossible to tell. It felt like she had been here forever._

_She longed to be on the other side of those doors. She wanted to be with Rainbow. Her heart longed to be with the Pegasus, to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. That nothing else was going to hurt her as long as she was there. From now on, she would protect her love with every ounce of her being._

_The doors to the emergency room slowly opened. A doctor approached Applejack, the expression on his face grim. _

_'Oh Equestria...no...please no...' Applejack pleaded within herself. Claws began to dig and bite at her chest. _

"_I'm so sorry, Applejack. I'm afraid she didn't make it."_

Applejack awoke with a start, everything snapping into focus in an instant. She was actually surprised she manged to fall asleep there for a few moment. So far tonight, she had been finding sleep exceptionally difficult, laying next to a sleeping, emotionally disturbed Rainbow in the guest room of the farmhouse. It had been a little over two hours since Luna had departed, so unable to sleep, AJ merely kept her friend and lover company. She spent the time reflecting on what they had shared earlier that night. They had confessed their deep feelings for each other. Applejack had kept them in secret longer than Rainbow, but in her life-changing experience, and time of healing on the farm, Rainbow finally opened up to the workhorse, in the form of an abrupt kiss out by the lake.

_'Ah wonder'_ Applejack thought to herself,_ 'If she hadn't done that, would I have ever told her how I really feel?'_

Applejack had harbored these feelings for Rainbow for awhile, but she was good at concealing them, partially because she wasn't confident in how strong those feelings really were. She wasn't quite sure when it had started. But rescuing Rainbow from the brink of death made her realize just how precious the Pegasus was to her. Not only that, but they did have quite a lot in common. Rainbow was a hard worker when it came to the Weather Patrol, just as AJ gave her all on the farm every day. Applejack never did have any crushes growing up, or a love life to speak of at all for that matter. So the difference between colt and mare didn't mean much of anything to her.

But was it love?

She had to assume it was. She felt stronger for Rainbow than she did for any other pony. Was she worried about what her family would think? Of course, but for Rainbow, she was willing to face and endure it.

"Mah precious Rainbow..."

Rainbow began to stir in her sleep, and seconds later, her eyes fluttered open, to see Applejack laying next to her. AJ gently placed a hoof on Rainbow's forehead, and was relieved to see that her fever was coming down.

"You alright, Sugarcube? Ya had me worried there."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess it just came as a bit of a shock." Rainbow answered. Then she realized that Luna wasn't present.

"The journal, where's the journal?" she asked hurriedly. Applejack motioned to her dresser on the adjacent wall, where the leather-bound book rested on the polished wood in front of the mirror.

"Ah wanted her to take it with her, but she said it was up to you to what to do with it." Applejack told her.

"I'm glad she left it here. I'm...I'm not sure what I want to do with it just yet..." Rainbow admitted.

"What was in there that gave you such a shock, hun?"

"I'm sure Luna told you that it was her diary, her journal of what she did, and, towards the end, what she was planning to do. That wasn't Pinkie, AJ. Not the Pinkie we knew. Through a...a perfect storm of circumstances, a monster had been born. That journal proves that there were two distinct personalities, and Pinkie, the Pinkie we knew, was fighting to get out, to regain control. But...but she couldn't."

Applejack remained silent, feeling Rainbow had more to say.

"Applejack, that night...you didn't just save me. You saved us. You saved all of us from her. I was just the first one out of our friends. By that time, Pinkie was nearly gone completely."

Applejack contemplated this. Since it happened, she really didn't give any thought as to what drove Pinkie to commit those atrocities in the basement of Sugarcube Corner. She was comfortable with putting the blame entirely on the friend she once knew.

"That journal proves our friend was innocent." Rainbow said.

"I wouldn't take it that far, sugar." Applejack said, as gently as she could.

"Why not?"

"Those words in there might clear Pinkie's name in your mind, but I'm purty sure that it won't be as easy for the family and friends of the other victims. It'll take more than words on a page to make Pinkie innocent in their eyes. Because if Pinkie was determined innocent, they'd have nopony to blame. And they need somepony to blame, in order to deal with their loss. I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell ya that, Rainbow. But that's the way it has to be."

Rainbow accepted this. None of Pinkie's other victims had been particularly close to her.

"I'm...I'm sorry, too."

"For what, Rainbow?"

"For reading that tonight. I guess I ruined our very first night together." Rainbow answered sorrowfully.

"Rainbow, you didn't ruin a thing. And I don't want you to fret over what you're gonna do with that book. I don't want you to think about it right now. Because right now..." Applejack began, climbing on top of Rainbow.

"...I want to return the favor."

With that, Applejack drew Rainbow into a long, heated kiss, sliding her tongue into Rainbow's mouth. Their lips remained locked as the farm pony began to grind her body against her lover's, and Rainbow began to softly moan.

Applejack broke the kiss, and moved down to her neck, tenderly licking and kissing her coat. Slowly, the farm pony moved down to her chest, feeling Rainbow's heart pound against her chest. Rainbow sunk herself into the bed, and let AJ return the affection shown to her earlier that night.

Applejack went lower yet, to her stomach, and Rainbow felt the wetness between her legs increase. She was ready for AJ to have her way with her, but Applejack took things slow. Once at her stomach, she moved to the side, moving her tongue gingerly over Rainbow's right flank. As her tongue swept over her Cutie Mark, Rainbow let out a short, shuddered cry of pleasure, quickly silencing it with a hoof, the scar tissue around her flanks especially sensitive. As waves of pleasure echoed through her body, she made sure to keep in mind to not wake the rest of the household. Applejack, satisfied with the sounds she was getting from her lover, returned to her stomach and continued making her way to between her legs. By that point, Rainbow was quite soaked.

Watching Rainbow's legs quiver for a few moments, AJ started at the bottom, and gave Rainbow's soaked lips one long lick, causing the recipient to cry out in pleasure again. But AJ didn't go back down or deeper in. She slowly made her way back up her stomach and chest, and when she got to her neck, went to the side again, and up her head, licking the tip of Rainbow's right ear and nibbling on it lightly.

"Y-y-you're s-such a...a tease, AJ." Rainbow said in staggered breaths, overwhelmed with desire.

"Oh, don't I know it, Sugar." AJ replied, giving one last lick to the inside of Dash's ear, and then went down her neck again, down her chest and stomach, and then slowly began to kiss Rainbow's inner thighs, and finally slid her tongue into her lover's soaked lips.

Rainbow became nearly paralyzed. She barely place a hoof over her mouth as she let out another, louder, more prolonged moan as Applejack swirled and sucked. She kept the movements of her tongue in a subtle pattern, letting the waves of pleasure overtake her lover. Rainbow quivered uncontrollably; she was Applejack's, completely and utterly, and the workhorse knew it, too. Rainbow felt she could no longer contain herself, and removed her hoof from her mouth, and let out full volume sounds of pleasure into the room and beyond, as the hooves that covered her mouth now dug into the sheets. Rainbow's blissful moans also had their effect on Applejack, as she felt wetness return to her intimate areas as well. AJ felt Rainbow's muscles tighten, and went even deeper, nearly burying her snout into her lover, and this quickly accelerated her journey to the edge.

"A-A-Applejaa...ohhhhhhhh!" Rainbow moaned as she climaxed, her whole body shaking. As the waves of pleasure died down, she went limp, and was as satisfied as she hoped she had made Applejack just hours earlier.

Finishing up, AJ gave her lips a slow lick, and slid back up, and brought her face to her lovers, and held her in a deep kiss, gently rubbing and grinding against her lover's quivering body. She parted from the long kiss, and left Rainbow nearly breathless. Words could not describe the bond they had formed this night.

Without a word, Applejack and Rainbow slid under the covers and snuggled together, wrapping their legs around the other.

_'Yes,'_ Applejack concluded, _'this is love.'_

"Applejack?" Rainbow whispered, finally having caught her breath.

"Yeah, Sugarcube?"

"The second night I was here, when the fillies saw what happened to me. You said you'd give up everything to make me whole again."

"What about it?"

"I just want you to know, that's not necessary."

Rainbow nuzzled her lover's face, and gave her a slow affectionate lick on the cheek.

"Because I am whole. Right here, right now. With you."

Applejack snuggled in closer to Rainbow, taking in the sweet rainy scent of her coat, as the cyan pony continued to give her affectionate licks to her face.

"Rainbow...what are we gonna tell our friends?"

Dash didn't reply to that immediately, giving it some thought, and came up empty-hoofed.

"I...I don't know. I'm, well, I'm afraid of what they'll think of us."

"They're our friends, Rainbow. I'm sure they'll understand. I...I hope."

"I got sick and tired of being called a 'fillyfooler' back in flight school. I'd rather not have that happen again."

"Rainbow, our friends would never do that to us. Not only that, I don't want to be dishonest to them either. And I don't think it'll be good for our relationship if we hide it."

Applejack was right about that. Nopony was going to benefit if they tried to hide their newfound love from their friends. Eventually, word was going to get out, and both of them preferred that it be on their terms.

But how to tell them...?

"Tell ya what, hun. Let's not fret over it and just sleep on it for tonight." Applejack concluded.

Rainbow accepted that, and melted deeper into AJ, giving out a satisfied sigh, and closing her eyes, letting the dream world take her for the remainder of the night.

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

ONE MONTH AGO

The Unicorn Nurse Goodwill and the Earth pony Dr. Wellhoof finished their inventory for the night, making sure all the instruments were accounted for and in their correct place. Nights at the care center were usually quiet. During the day, there were always fillies coming in with scrapes and bruises, and the occasional occupation-related injury. But the night shift was always quiet, and mind-numbingly boring, as well.

But that peace, that boredom, was shattered as the sound of the front doors slamming open emanated through the closed doors of the emergency room.

"Help! Somepony please help!" a voice with a southern accent pleaded. The Ponyville community was somewhat mixed, but the doctor was certain that was Applejack's voice, the co-owner of Sweet Apple Acres. What was she doing in town this time of night? Nurse Goodwill and Dr. Wellhoof were on their hooves as the commotion out in the lobby increased. Within moments, they heard the wheels of an approaching gurney, and sure enough, two orderlies came rushing through the door.

"Oh, by Celestia's mane..." the nurse gasped.

On the gurney, was a cyan pony, mangled and bloody. At first, Dr. Wellhoof thought it was an Earth pony. But then he saw the wooden bucket on the bottom of the gurney, and the contents within. Matching wings and two pieces of fur and skin. Then her rainbow mane and tail confirmed her identity to the emergency room staff.

Wellhoof snapped out of the shock. Questions and answers always were second to saving a life. He and Nurse Goodwill got the Pegasus onto the operating table while the orderlies wheeled in monitoring equipment. Blood had started to trickle from her mouth. Wellhoof checked her eyes, and discovered that the poor Pegasus was currently in shock. Nurse Goodwill took a quick blood sample while Wellhoof quickly got the heart monitor wires attached to her chest, and the orderlies got wires on her forehead to a brainwave monitor, and got an oxygen mask over her muzzle. Turning the monitors on, his eyes filled with determination.

"Her heart rate is dangerously low." he said, taking in the Pegasus's condition as a whole once more. The most common symptom of shock was a rapid heartbeat, and with a heart rate this low already...

"We don't have much time." he announced grimly.

"Her blood has an insane amount of adrenaline in it. High levels of painkiller, as well." the nurse included.

"First things first, we have to get those nails out of her hooves." Dr. Wellhoof ordered. The most simple and immediate method would seem to be pulling them out. But as Wellhoof grabbed surgical tweezers and pulled, the Pegasus convulsed, her eyelids barely opening, bloodshot magenta eyes rolling up into their sockets. She gurgled up a small amount of blood, and then she fell limp.

Then the heart monitor flatlined.

"Paddles!" he yelled, needing the defibrillator.

"We can't use that until those nails are out." Nurse Goodwill alarmingly cautioned. Wellhoof again pulled with the surgical tweezers, but they remained firmly implanted. All the while, precious seconds ticked away.

"Damnit!" he cursed, removing the tweezers and slamming a hoof down on the empty gurney.

Nurse Goodwill removed her cap, horn glowing. "Let me try something." she said, approaching the foot of the operating table.

"Be careful, Goodwill. You haven't perfected teleportation magic yet." Wellhoof warned.

"If this doesn't work, she's dead." the Unicorn nurse replied, then closed her eyes and focused. The glowing of her horn intensified, and the doctor stood ready with the paddles. In a single flash of light, the nails disappeared, and the nurse stumbled from the expended energy. "Now!" she said.

Doctor Wellhoof briefly rubbed the paddles together, and placed them on Rainbow's ribcage.

"Clear!"

The electric current passed through the defibrillator into Rainbow, and her body jolted, and the heart rate hiccuped, only to flatline again. "Again, clear!"

The same result. Wellhoof increased the output. "Again!"

Rainbow's body jolted with another shock. Another hiccup, another flatline tone.

"Intracardiac," Wellhoof instructed, and one of the orderlies quickly brought forward an injection needle, and prepared to inject the last resort drug.

"No, wait we got her!" Nurse Goodwill interrupted, grabbing the hoof of the orderly, stopping him from injecting the cardiac stimulant.

The heart rate monitor's steady flat tone gave way to a slowly increasing beeping pattern. Dr. Wellhoof gave out an exasperated sigh of relief.

"Brain waves are steady. She's stable, for now." Nurse Goodwill said, eyes studying the monitors. The doctor slowly and carefully turned Rainbow onto her side, and studied her blood-spattered back. His expression became even more grim.

"The nerves in the bone are dead. We can't save her wings." he said sadly. "I believe we can save her Cutie Marks, but keep her sedated. I don't want to have to try to pull her back from the brink again."the doctor said. Using her horn again, the nurse levitated the two flaps of pony skin out of the bucket, and positioned them as best she could before getting a needle and surgical thread.

"What in the name of Equestria happened to this poor pony?" Nurse Goodwill asked, still checking her life signs on the monitors.

"I'm not sure." Wellhoof said, standing on the other side of the operating table. "But one thing's for sure..."

He studied the light rising and falling of her chest for a moment.

"...she's the luckiest pony in Equestria to be alive right now."


	3. Revelations and Love CLEAN VERSION

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 1

Revelations and Love

_Applejack sat alone in the waiting room of Ponyville Urgent Care. The tile floor felt ice cold against her hooves. With every passing second, every pounding beat of her heart, she felt like she was getting jabbed with needles. How long had she been sitting here? Fifteen minutes? An hour? Two hours? It was impossible to tell. It felt like she had been here forever._

_She longed to be on the other side of those doors. She wanted to be with Rainbow. Her heart longed to be with the Pegasus, to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. That nothing else was going to hurt her as long as she was there. From now on, she would protect her love with every ounce of her being._

_The doors to the emergency room slowly opened. A doctor approached Applejack, the expression on his face grim. _

_'Oh Equestria...no...please no...' Applejack pleaded within herself. Claws began to dig and bite at her chest. _

"_I'm so sorry, Applejack. I'm afraid she didn't make it."_

Applejack awoke with a start, everything snapping into focus in an instant. She was actually surprised she manged to fall asleep there for a few moment. So far tonight, she had been finding sleep exceptionally difficult, laying next to a sleeping, emotionally disturbed Rainbow in the guest room of the farmhouse. It had been a little over two hours since Luna had departed, so unable to sleep, AJ merely kept her friend and lover company. She spent the time reflecting on what they had shared earlier that night. They had confessed their deep feelings for each other. Applejack had kept them in secret longer than Rainbow, but in her life-changing experience, and time of healing on the farm, Rainbow finally opened up to the workhorse, in the form of an abrupt kiss out by the lake.

_'Ah wonder'_ Applejack thought to herself,_ 'If she hadn't done that, would I have ever told her how I really feel?'_

Applejack had harbored these feelings for Rainbow for awhile, but she was good at concealing them, partially because she wasn't confident in how strong those feelings really were. She wasn't quite sure when it had started. But rescuing Rainbow from the brink of death made her realize just how precious the Pegasus was to her. Not only that, but they did have quite a lot in common. Rainbow was a hard worker when it came to the Weather Patrol, just as AJ gave her all on the farm every day. Applejack never did have any crushes growing up, or a love life to speak of at all for that matter. So the difference between colt and mare didn't mean much of anything to her.

But was it love?

She had to assume it was. She felt stronger for Rainbow than she did for any other pony. Was she worried about what her family would think? Of course, but for Rainbow, she was willing to face and endure it.

"Mah precious Rainbow..."

Rainbow began to stir in her sleep, and seconds later, her eyes fluttered open, to see Applejack laying next to her. AJ gently placed a hoof on Rainbow's forehead, and was relieved to see that her fever was coming down.

"You alright, Sugarcube? Ya had me worried there."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess it just came as a bit of a shock." Rainbow answered. Then she realized that Luna wasn't present.

"The journal, where's the journal?" she asked hurriedly. Applejack motioned to her dresser on the adjacent wall, where the leather-bound book rested on the polished wood in front of the mirror.

"Ah wanted her to take it with her, but she said it was up to you to what to do with it." Applejack told her.

"I'm glad she left it here. I'm...I'm not sure what I want to do with it just yet..." Rainbow admitted.

"What was in there that gave you such a shock, hun?"

"I'm sure Luna told you that it was her diary, her journal of what she did, and, towards the end, what she was planning to do. That wasn't Pinkie, AJ. Not the Pinkie we knew. Through a...a perfect storm of circumstances, a monster had been born. That journal proves that there were two distinct personalities, and Pinkie, the Pinkie we knew, was fighting to get out, to regain control. But...but she couldn't."

Applejack remained silent, feeling Rainbow had more to say.

"Applejack, that night...you didn't just save me. You saved us. You saved all of us from her. I was just the first one out of our friends. By that time, Pinkie was nearly gone completely."

Applejack contemplated this. Since it happened, she really didn't give any thought as to what drove Pinkie to commit those atrocities in the basement of Sugarcube Corner. She was comfortable with putting the blame entirely on the friend she once knew.

"That journal proves our friend was innocent." Rainbow said.

"I wouldn't take it that far, sugar." Applejack said, as gently as she could.

"Why not?"

"Those words in there might clear Pinkie's name in your mind, but I'm purty sure that it won't be as easy for the family and friends of the other victims. It'll take more than words on a page to make Pinkie innocent in their eyes. Because if Pinkie was determined innocent, they'd have nopony to blame. And they need somepony to blame, in order to deal with their loss. I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell ya that, Rainbow. But that's the way it has to be."

Rainbow accepted this. None of Pinkie's other victims had been particularly close to her.

"I'm...I'm sorry, too."

"For what, Rainbow?"

"For reading that tonight. I guess I ruined our very first night together." Rainbow answered sorrowfully.

"Rainbow, you didn't ruin a thing. And I don't want you to fret over what you're gonna do with that book. I don't want you to think about it right now. Because right now..." Applejack began, climbing on top of Rainbow.

"...I want to return the favor."

What followed was one of the most blissful nights Rainbow had ever experienced.

Without a word, Applejack and Rainbow slid under the covers and snuggled together, wrapping their legs around the other.

_'Yes,'_ Applejack concluded, _'this is love.'_

"Applejack?" Rainbow whispered, finally having caught her breath.

"Yeah, Sugarcube?"

"The second night I was here, when the fillies saw what happened to me. You said you'd give up everything to make me whole again."

"What about it?"

"I just want you to know, that's not necessary."

Rainbow nuzzled her lover's face, and gave her a slow affectionate lick on the cheek.

"Because I am whole. Right here, right now. With you."

Applejack snuggled in closer to Rainbow, taking in the sweet rainy scent of her coat, as the cyan pony continued to give her affectionate licks to her face.

"Rainbow...what are we gonna tell our friends?"

Dash didn't reply to that immediately, giving it some thought, and came up empty-hoofed.

"I...I don't know. I'm, well, I'm afraid of what they'll think of us."

"They're our friends, Rainbow. I'm sure they'll understand. I...I hope."

"I got sick and tired of being called a 'fillyfooler' back in flight school. I'd rather not have that happen again."

"Rainbow, our friends would never do that to us. Not only that, I don't want to be dishonest to them either. And I don't think it'll be good for our relationship if we hide it."

Applejack was right about that. Nopony was going to benefit if they tried to hide their newfound love from their friends. Eventually, word was going to get out, and both of them preferred that it be on their terms.

But how to tell them...?

"Tell ya what, hun. Let's not fret over it and just sleep on it for tonight." Applejack concluded.

Rainbow accepted that, and melted deeper into AJ, giving out a satisfied sigh, and closing her eyes, letting the dream world take her for the remainder of the night.

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

ONE MONTH AGO

The Unicorn Nurse Goodwill and the Earth pony Dr. Wellhoof finished their inventory for the night, making sure all the instruments were accounted for and in their correct place. Nights at the care center were usually quiet. During the day, there were always fillies coming in with scrapes and bruises, and the occasional occupation-related injury. But the night shift was always quiet, and mind-numbingly boring, as well.

But that peace, that boredom, was shattered as the sound of the front doors slamming open emanated through the closed doors of the emergency room.

"Help! Somepony please help!" a voice with a southern accent pleaded. The Ponyville community was somewhat mixed, but the doctor was certain that was Applejack's voice, the co-owner of Sweet Apple Acres. What was she doing in town this time of night? Nurse Goodwill and Dr. Wellhoof were on their hooves as the commotion out in the lobby increased. Within moments, they heard the wheels of an approaching gurney, and sure enough, two orderlies came rushing through the door.

"Oh, by Celestia's mane..." the nurse gasped.

On the gurney, was a cyan pony, mangled and bloody. At first, Dr. Wellhoof thought it was an Earth pony. But then he saw the wooden bucket on the bottom of the gurney, and the contents within. Matching wings and two pieces of fur and skin. Then her rainbow mane and tail confirmed her identity to the emergency room staff.

Wellhoof snapped out of the shock. Questions and answers always were second to saving a life. He and Nurse Goodwill got the Pegasus onto the operating table while the orderlies wheeled in monitoring equipment. Blood had started to trickle from her mouth. Wellhoof checked her eyes, and discovered that the poor Pegasus was currently in shock. Nurse Goodwill took a quick blood sample while Wellhoof quickly got the heart monitor wires attached to her chest, and the orderlies got wires on her forehead to a brainwave monitor, and got an oxygen mask over her muzzle. Turning the monitors on, his eyes filled with determination.

"Her heart rate is dangerously low." he said, taking in the Pegasus's condition as a whole once more. The most common symptom of shock was a rapid heartbeat, and with a heart rate this low already...

"We don't have much time." he announced grimly.

"Her blood has an insane amount of adrenaline in it. High levels of painkiller, as well." the nurse included.

"First things first, we have to get those nails out of her hooves." Dr. Wellhoof ordered. The most simple and immediate method would seem to be pulling them out. But as Wellhoof grabbed surgical tweezers and pulled, the Pegasus convulsed, her eyelids barely opening, bloodshot magenta eyes rolling up into their sockets. She gurgled up a small amount of blood, and then she fell limp.

Then the heart monitor flatlined.

"Paddles!" he yelled, needing the defibrillator.

"We can't use that until those nails are out." Nurse Goodwill alarmingly cautioned. Wellhoof again pulled with the surgical tweezers, but they remained firmly implanted. All the while, precious seconds ticked away.

"Damnit!" he cursed, removing the tweezers and slamming a hoof down on the empty gurney.

Nurse Goodwill removed her cap, horn glowing. "Let me try something." she said, approaching the foot of the operating table.

"Be careful, Goodwill. You haven't perfected teleportation magic yet." Wellhoof warned.

"If this doesn't work, she's dead." the Unicorn nurse replied, then closed her eyes and focused. The glowing of her horn intensified, and the doctor stood ready with the paddles. In a single flash of light, the nails disappeared, and the nurse stumbled from the expended energy. "Now!" she said.

Doctor Wellhoof briefly rubbed the paddles together, and placed them on Rainbow's ribcage.

"Clear!"

The electric current passed through the defibrillator into Rainbow, and her body jolted, and the heart rate hiccuped, only to flatline again. "Again, clear!"

The same result. Wellhoof increased the output. "Again!"

Rainbow's body jolted with another shock. Another hiccup, another flatline tone.

"Intracardiac," Wellhoof instructed, and one of the orderlies quickly brought forward an injection needle, and prepared to inject the last resort drug.

"No, wait we got her!" Nurse Goodwill interrupted, grabbing the hoof of the orderly, stopping him from injecting the cardiac stimulant.

The heart rate monitor's steady flat tone gave way to a slowly increasing beeping pattern. Dr. Wellhoof gave out an exasperated sigh of relief.

"Brain waves are steady. She's stable, for now." Nurse Goodwill said, eyes studying the monitors. The doctor slowly and carefully turned Rainbow onto her side, and studied her blood-spattered back. His expression became even more grim.

"The nerves in the bone are dead. We can't save her wings." he said sadly. "I believe we can save her Cutie Marks, but keep her sedated. I don't want to have to try to pull her back from the brink again."the doctor said. Using her horn again, the nurse levitated the two flaps of pony skin out of the bucket, and positioned them as best she could before getting a needle and surgical thread.

"What in the name of Equestria happened to this poor pony?" Nurse Goodwill asked, still checking her life signs on the monitors.

"I'm not sure." Wellhoof said, standing on the other side of the operating table. "But one thing's for sure..."

He studied the light rising and falling of her chest for a moment.

"...she's the luckiest pony in Equestria to be alive right now."


	4. Memories and Meetings

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 2

Memories and Meetings

SWEET APPLE ACRES

THREE YEARS AGO

Applejack awoke to the crowing rooster as the sun began to break above the horizon. Rubbing her eyes, she flung the covers off her, and got up to greet the day. There were chores to be done. Making sure her hair was presentable, she went down the hall to get Applebloom up and ready for fillygarten. Once her little sister was up and getting ready, she went down and started making herself some breakfast. As the sunny side up eggs began to sizzle in the pan, Big Macintosh came into the kitchen.

"Uh, AJ, we may have a problem." he said.

"Can it wait, big bro? I just started makin' breakfast." Applejack replied.

"Eeenope. Not if you want your new strawberry bushes to stay intact."

That did it. "What? I just planted those last month!" she objected.

"Then you might want ta' get outside." Big Mac suggested again. Applejack turned off the stove, and ran to the side door of the farmhouse, and stepped out onto the lawn, where her eyes widened at the scene before her.

At least two dozen bunnies were hopping to and from her new strawberry bushes, snatching the fresh strawberries that had grown through the summer.

"You darn thievin' pests! Get outta here!" AJ yelled, charging the group of bunnies. They scattered as soon as she got close, and when AJ had to pick a smaller group to go after, the rest just re-convened at the bushes. Big Mac had followed her out to her patch of bushes.

"Um, AJ, I'm thinkin' we might need some help on this one. I heard there was some kind of animal handler that moved to Ponyville not too long ago. She specializes in this sort of thing." Big Mac suggested.

"Now hold on there, big brother. This here's our farm, and we can handle any problems on this farm without any outside help." Applejack protested. Big Mac gave her his usual blank stare.

"Well, alright. If ya change yer mind, just let me know."

Big Mac wasn't even back to the doorstep before his sister gave out her first frustrated yell. He was hoping this wasn't going to take long, but knowing AJ's stubborn streak, it may be awhile before she gave in. Not wanting his sister's eggs to go to waste, he went back inside and turned the stove back on to finish cooking them. By the time he had them fully cooked with sides of toast and hash, and about to enjoy them at the table, AJ came back through the side door, covered in thistles and brush, and had spots of strawberry stains in her hair.

"Alright, who's this animal handler in Ponyville?" she asked, disgruntled. Big Mac couldn't help but chuckle. He had to admit, he was impressed, it only took 30 minutes for Applejack to see reason this time.

"I'll go into town and get her. Be back before ya know it." he said, leaving the breakfast for it's original intended owner. AJ was only too glad to sit down and enjoy her breakfast.

"Enjoy my crops while ya can, pests." she grumbled, while Big Mac left for Ponyville.

PONYVILLE OUTSKIRTS

20 MINUTES LATER

One of Ponyville's newer residents, a Pegasus by the name of Fluttershy, was also getting started with her day. She was in the middle of getting her animals fed when there was a knock at the door.

"Who could that be this early?" she asked herself. She went to the door and opened it. There stood a solidly built red stallion, with apple green eyes.

"G'morning, Miss..." he began to greet her, prompting her for her name.

"Um...Fluttershy." she replied sheepishly.

"Miss Fluttershy, they call me Big Macintosh. I've heard you're the best animal handler in Ponyville, and we've got a bit of a bunny problem back at our farm." Big Mac explained.

"Oh, my. Um, well, give me a few moments, and I'll have something ready to help." Fluttershy said. It was only a few moments before Fluttershy came out from the side of her tree home pulling a small wagon with a plastic cover on it. Stocked full of delicious looking carrots. With that, she and Big Mac headed back across town to the farm.

By the time they got there, it was high noon, the strawberry bushes had been all but picked clean, and now the bouncing bunnies were trying to get after the apple trees, which were fortunately out of their reach.

"Thanks so much for comin' on such short notice" Applejack greeted the newcomer gratuitously.

"Not a problem at all. I've been working on a habitat for little critters, and these guys will make perfect first residents." she replied.

"Better work fast, by the looks of those clouds, the Pegasi have got one doozey of a storm a'comin" AJ warned.

"I'll have them rounded up and out of here in a jiffy." Fluttershy said, a bit more assertive, compared to when Big Mac showed up. She briefly opened up her wagon, and took out one of the carrots, and set it on the ground. A handful of bunnies immediately took notice, and rushed over to it, nibbling it to pieces in no time. Then, as expected, they caught wind of the several dozen carrots in the enclosed wagon.

"You seemed to like that carrot, little ones. But you have to make a choice. You can come back with me, and have all the carrots you want, or you can stay here, and eat somepony else's crops." she said. The hopping trespassers were indeed far more interested in Fluttershy's enticing carrots over what they could scrounge up around Applejack's crops.

"Not only that, but you can stay in a wonderful little habitat I've built back at my house, so you don't have to bother these nice farmers again. Now, where are the rest of your friends?" Fluttershy asked, walking around to where she saw another small group of bunnies.

The wind began to pick up, as the afternoon storm clouds loomed ever closer.

"We want to hurry up, my little friends. Looks like we have quite the rainstorm coming." Fluttershy said, pointing to the sky.

Applejack and Big Mac were astounded at Fluttershy's ability to communicate with these pesky bunnies. Once she approached them, they fell right in step around her and the wagon. Within ten minutes, she had them all rounded up.

"I-I'm speechless!" Applejack said, simply amazed. "Uh, so how much do we owe ya?" she asked the light yellow Pegasus.

"Oh, I don't charge for this work. Mayor Mare gives me enough to cover the costs of the habitat necessities. In return, I offer my animal control services to all of Ponyville. I'll give these guys a good home, don't worry." Fluttershy said.

"I'd offer ya somethin' ta drink at least, but at the rate that storm's coming, I'm guessing you want to get back as soon as ya can." Big Mac assumed.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. Come on, bunnies, we don't want to get caught in this storm."

And with that, Fluttershy was off at a quick trot's pace to try and make it home before the storm hit. Sure enough, ten minutes later, the first light drizzles of rain started to pelt the house, just as Applebloom was getting home from school. Within another few minutes, the sky was alive with thunder and lightning, amidst a downpour.

"Whoo-ee. Well, the crops sure needed this, that's for sure." Applejack commented, looking out the window from the dining table as the Apple family sat down to dinner. After the meal was finished, and the dishes were done, the rain finally died down as the storm completed its pass over Ponyville. The storm clouds parted to show the stars and moon, with the etching of the Mare in the Moon on it's surface. Not even waiting for the grounds to be relatively dry, Applejack went and performed a quick check of the farm grounds. Checking the barn last of all, she was surprised to see the barn's front door open just a few feet.

"I coulda swore I closed that" Applejac mused, hoping no barn animals got out and were panicked in the storm. As she got closer, she heard the mooing of the milking cows. Slowly opening the door just enough so she could get inside, she took a look around, and was surprised to find the source of the disturbed animals, and the cause of the open barn door.

A cyan Pegasus was asleep in a bale of hay in the front corner of the barn. A couple fully eaten apple cores were on the ground in front of her. She was wet from the storm, and judging from the way she was curled up on the pile of hay, and the way her ruffled feathers shivered in the breeze from the open door, quite cold. She looked to be about Applejack's age, and her most striking feature was her multicolored mane. Her bangs were red, yellow, and orange, and streaks of green, blue, and purple went down her neck. Even in it's wet, unkempt state, it was beautiful, AJ had to admit.

Knowing there had to be a reason this Pegasus had taken shelter from the storm in her barn, Applejack opted not to disturb her for the time being. Instead, she went to one of the far corners of the barn, got a barn blanket, and gently and quietly covered her with it, and sat on one of the stools among the cow stalls, and waited for her new guest to wake up.


	5. Concessions and Consequences

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 3

Concessions and Consequences

PONYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE NEXT MORNING

Spike was far from pleased when he woke up to the prods of Twilight, urging him to get a move on. Glancing at the clock, he plopped his face back down into his bed.

"For the love of Equestria, Twilight, it's 5 AM." he complained, voice muffled through the padding.

"Yep, and that's never too early to start preparing for the Princess Celestia's visit today. Now come on, let's go!"

With a few more pokes, Spike got up and went downstairs, grumbling the whole way, as Twilight prepared her usually long checklist scroll.

Today had to be perfect.

SWEET APPLE ACRES FARMHOUSE

Rainbow slowly came to the waking world, and found herself in the guest room, in the sleeping embrace of Applejack. Her body gently shifted as she stretched, and this roused AJ, her eyes fluttering open, and meeting Rainbow's gaze.

"Morning, Applejack." Rainbow said softly, giving her a quick kiss. The farm pony smiled, snuggling into her lover, as the smell of eggs and toast wafted into the room.

"Breakfast sure smells good this mornin'." AJ said. Rainbow nodded in agreement, and planted another quick peck on her cheek.

"Thanks for last night, AJ. That was...just, amazing." she said.

"Same to you, Sugarcube." AJ replied.

"Do...do you think we can actually make this work? Us, I mean?" Rainbow asked, removing the sheets from the two of them.

"Well, Ah'd say there's only one way to find out. Just go with it." Applejack replied. Together, they got out of bed. Rainbow got her hair brushed while AJ went to her room to get herself ready. Afterward, they met out at the kitchen table, where Big Mac was setting the table with breakfast. Granny slowly came out of her room and took her place at the table as well.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Rainbow asked, anxious to continue the farm chores she began yesterday.

"Not to worry, Rainbow. It's not gonna be as hard as yesterday. Part of the apples we bucked yesterday have to go out to customers now. Sweet Apple Acres supplies a fair amount of grocery stores here in Ponyville. First order is two whole carts, goes to the Feed 'n' Seed. Proprietor is Marty. He's been one of the Acres' best customers for several years now." Applejack said.

"I could help you take it into town." Rainbow immediately offered.

"That's the plan. First cart is large enough where two ponies have to pull it. After that, I can do the second cart myself."

By this time, Applebloom had come and joined the table, having been the last one to get up.

"Hey, did anypony else hear those noises last night? Sounded like they were coming from Rainbow's room." Applebloom asked.

Rainbow nearly choked on her mouthful of eggs, and Applejack nearly spit out her orange juice, but they both managed to remain composed. Swallowing their drink and food, they exchanged glances.

"Why, no. Ah didn't hear anythin', Applebloom. What about you, Rainbow?" Applejack asked, nearly sweatdropping.

"Uh, nope. Slept right through the night. You must be hearing things, Applebloom." Rainbow seconded. Aplebloom shrugged.

"Now hurry on up and go get ready for school" Granny Smith told the filly. She did as she was told, and took her last bites and went to go get cleaned up. Rainbow and AJ wanted to breathe sighs of relief, but they quickly noted that Granny Smith and Mac probably weren't gonna be that naive and gullible.

"Now don't you were about Applebloom, you two. She doesn't comprehend these things just yet. Besides, you weren't _that_ loud." Granny Smith told them. If it was meant to calm their nerves, it did just the opposite.

"You heard it too...?" Applejack asked, and then gave out a groan.

"Now darlin' it ain't nothin' t'be ashamed of. If you two love each other, and you make each other happy, ain't nothin' more to it than that."

Both Applejack and Rainbow were caught off guard by how casually the Apple family elder addressed the fulfillment of their love for each other last night. AJ turned to her older brother.

"You okay with this too, Big Mac?" she asked nervously. Big Macintosh gave a small smile.

"It don't bother me none. You two kinda add up, to be honest. Ya go well together."

Now the two of them were relieved. Last night kinda let the secret out, but the family was okay with it. Now they just had to watch themselves around Applebloom. Their breakfast finished, Rainbow and AJ took their dishes to the sink, taking a few minutes to wash them, and then went out to the apple cellar and loaded up the larger cart with part of the order going to Ponyville today. Rainbow had the tougher job pulling the full wagon out of the cellar, due to her Pegasus heritage. AJ had no problem helping her along.

With the cart, it was a ten minute walk into Ponyville. The Feed N' Seed grocery store was among the shops on the south side of town, so there wasn't a need to maneuver the cart through the streets and ponies on their morning errands. Rainbow was surprised at the store's small size.

"Geez, he needs this many apples for a store this size?" Rainbow asked.

"They go quicker than ya think. The Apple Family Apples are among his best selling products" Applejack told her, as they maneuvered the cart to the back of the store, where several empty wooden fruit baskets were waiting to be filled. Marty came out with a checklist to make sure everything was in order, and then headed back inside as Applejack and Rainbow began to empty the cart's apples into the baskets.

"So, Rainbow. Have you thought about how we want to tell our friends? About us?" Applejack asked. She was hoping now that they had slept on it, Rainbow would be a little more susceptible to this discussion.

"Applejack, I know I must sound like a broken record, but I'm...I'm just really afraid of what their reactions will be." Rainbow replied, emptying another bundle of apples into the basket.

"Well, 'ah said it last night, and I'll say it again; they're our friends, Rainbow. Do you really think they're going to scorn us and cast us out because we're now...closer? I'd think our friendships amount to much, much more than that. I mean, fine, I'll humor ya. Who among our friends would have a problem with us being together?" Applejack asked, determined to convince Rainbow that telling their friends was the best course of action.

"Rarity." Rainbow said, with almost no hesitation.

"Rarity?" Applejack repeated, wondering why Rainbow had so quickly given the fashionista as an example. "Why her? I mean, sure, she's a bit more contemporary, and she's been out with a few colts. But I've never heard her make any comments about the, well, 'fillyfoolers' around town, like Lyra and Bonbon."

"But you've never heard her compliment them, either. Fluttershy says 'Aw, they're so cute together,' and Twilight says love has many forms, and probably has a quote from a book somewhere to back that up."

"Exactly. I'd bet most of our friends have no problem with fillyfoolers, especially if it's us. So let's swallow our fears and just tell them."

By this time, the cart had been emptied, so they hooked back into the harnesses, and went back towards the farm. Marty would take the full baskets into the store for selling over the next few days.

Hauling the cart back to Sweet Apple Acres was a much simpler affair now that it wasn't full of fruit. While they had gone into town, Big Mac had loaded up the smaller cart with what was left, and Applejack hooked into that one alone.

"I'll be back in time for lunch." she told them, and headed back into town with the last part of Marty's order. By this time, the shop was nearly ready for opening, and Marty was standing at the back door waiting for her.

"Got the last part of yer order right here, Marty." she said, pulling up to the rear of the store.

"I'm sorry, Applejack, I can't accept these. Not anymore."

Applejack was taken aback, and wasn't sure if the proprietor was joking.

"Why, what're you talkin' about, Marty? You've never had trouble selling your entire order before."

"It's simple. I will not be seen doing business with a fillyfooler. Especially on the day when Princess Celestia is coming to visit."

This sent AJ into a stunned silence for several moments.

"Wh-what are you-"

"Don't bother denying it either. I overheard you and Rainbow Dash unloading the apples. I can't believe a hard working farmpony would participate in such disgusting behavior. I think it's now in our best interests to save face, so I'll take the portion of the order you gave me and you'll get payment for that. But beyond that, my business is done with you."

"B-but-" Applejack stammered. Even if she didn't get cut off, she was unable to find the words to defend herself. This was entire unexpected.

"Now I have a store to run. Good day, Applejack."

Applejack stood there in a stunned disbelief for several moments before managing to get her hooves moving, and pulled the full applecart back to the farm in silence. When the family and Rainbow saw Applejack return with a full cart, they immediately knew something was wrong.

"What happened? Is Marty okay?" Big Mac asked, after Applejack had returned the card to the apple cellar. AJ, tearing up and on the verge of full-on crying, explained what had happened.

Rainbow was beyond words.

In her emotionally distraught state, the family decided that she was in no condition to run the apple stand in the marketplace. Big Mac volunteered to run it for today, and went to go get yesterday's fresh apples ready.

In the commotion, no one noticed Rainbow leave.

PONYVILLE

Twilight hurriedly walked all around Ponyville, making sure everything was in tiptop shape, and that the decorations were holding up. Celestia had arrived just a half-hour earlier, and was enjoying lunch and tea at Sugarcube Corner.

Spike sat on her back, now fully awake, and alert with the checklist and scroll in claw. Twilight had made special notes of the last preparation's disasters, and paid special attention to them. In the days before, she reminded that the welcome banner had to include the Princess' full name, and not 'Welcome Princess Celest.'

"Flowerbeds, check. Streamers, check. Banner, with full name, check. Whew. It seems everything's coming together flawlessly this year." Twilight happily commented.

"Shouldn't you be with the Princess at Sugarcube Corner? I mean, you are her protege after all" Spike said. Twilight saw right through Spike's ploy to get some food, but then her stomach began rumbling. It had been an awfully busy morning. She hadn't even had time to say hi to Applejack and Rainbow Dash as they carted in some apples.

"I guess it is time for some lunch. Alright, you win, Spike."

CENTRAL PONYVILLE

LATE AFTERNOON

Rainbow sat at one of the many cabana tables set out in front of Ponyville's eateries. She didn't really know how long she had been sitting here, but she noticed the sun begin it's final descent to the west horizon. So simply stayed here, sitting sipping some apple juice and hay fries, trying to eat and drink away this burning ember of anger inside her as she stared at the Memorial Fountain in the center of the small courtyard.

Her magenta eyes gazed at the stones, the names of Pinkamena's victims flawlessly chizzled into the outer sides. The dazzling liquid rainbow water fed through the internal piping and showered back down to the bottom tier in a beautiful spectrum.

She never liked thinking about her past; what her life had been like before she came to Ponyville. It had been a part of her she had buried and kept hidden away for most of her life here. But this morning's events were like a shovel in her heart, digging up what she never wanted to dwell on again.

Rainbow slowly closed her eyes, as tears began to stream down her cheeks. Instead of dousing the anger inside, her tears acted as the fuel to the fire, and she got up from the table, and walked towards the south end of town.

SOUTH PONYVILLE

15 MINUTES LATER

Twilight accompanied Princess Celestia as they concluded their run through the "Taste of Ponyville" that most of the town's food stands had participated in. As late afternoon began giving way to evening, the activity in town showed no signs of slowing. Lines still formed at every stand.

"I must say, this has been quite the visit, Twilight. I may have to walk back to Canterlot, or those Super Duper Chocolate Pastries may go right to my flanks." Celestia joked.

"I'm just glad nothing went wrong this time. No Parasprite outbreaks, no pet kidnappings. Finally, things have gone off without a hitch!"

As if on cue, the Princess and her student heard a slowly increasing commotion. This increasing murmur was suddenly overtaken by the sound of shattering glass not too far away. Celestia heard one of her guards announce "There, it's her!" to those under his command. The commotion again increased in volume as the guards dealt with whoever was the source of the window shattering.

"Me and my big mouth..." Twilight said, as she and the Princess quickly trotted to investigate. To say the least, Twilight was surprised at what she saw.

The storefront window of the Feed N' Seed grocery store had been shattered. The proprietor, furious, was out front inspecting the damage, while a pair of Royal Canterlot Guards were subduing the apparent vandal.

Rainbow Dash.

Who was apparently shouting up a storm as the guards restrained her, as she obviously tried to flee the scene after she did her deed, screaming infuriated insults at the shopkeeper.

"What is going on here?" Princess Celestia's authoritative voice brought a halt to the commotion in front of the store.

"This pony just threw a rock through my window" the proprietor, Marty, reported to the Princess.

"Because you're nothing but a bucking bigot!" Rainbow screamed, still trying to pry herself loose from the guards.

"Rainbow, please, I have to ask you to calm down." Celestia told the frustrated and furious Pegasus, tears still pricking her eyelids. "Now, why did you do this?"

"He refused the last part of Applejack's order because he overheard me and Applejack talking about...about..." Rainbow paused, half due to her flustered frustration, and due to her hesitation to reveal in front of all these bystanders what she had wanted her and Applejack to keep a secret.

"That they were sleeping together." Marty finished, earning another infuriated glare from Rainbow. "And this is my business, and I can refuse business, or service, to anypony, regardless of whether they think such immoral behavior is okay."

This response caused another struggle from Rainbow, who remained firmly restrained by Celestia's well-trained guards.

"Sir, that is hardly appropriate for public discussion." Celestia sternly told him. Marty however, was unphased.

"And yet they openly talked about it while they unloaded apples."

"It was a personal conversation at the back of your store and you know it!" Rainbow screamed.

"Rainbow, please." Celestia again tried to get the ex-Pegasus to calm down.

"Your highness, she has purposefully damaged my property. Thus, I charge her with vandalism, and I formally request she be placed under arrest."

This finally brought pause to Rainbow's furious tirade.

"You unbelievable hate monger" she said, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

Celestia took a moment to compose herself, and make sure her student wouldn't now burst out in defense of her friend.

"Rainbow, with all these eye witnesses, I'm afraid I have no choice. I urge you to leave peacefully with me, and I'll have the guards unhoof you."

Rainbow said nothing, but Celestia and her guards saw her visibly relax.

"Everypony, please return to your homes. I'm sorry my visit had to end like this. We'll deal with this tomorrow." Celestia announced, and the crowd immediately began to disperse. "Guards, please escort Rainbow out of town with me."

With that, the guards released Rainbow, but remained on both sides, as she followed Princess Celestia out of town, leaving a confused and concerned Twilight to walk back to the library alone.

SWEET APPLE ACRES

FIVE MINUTES LATER

Applejack sat in front of a large apple tree planted in the back yard of the farmhouse. As the sun began it's slow descent below the horizon, one could make out the rough stone grave marker in front of the tree, where Applejack now sat mere feet from, staring sorrowfully at the tombstone. It read:

SWEET APPLE

AJ was still growing up when her mother had died from complications during Applebloom's birth. This caused her father such grief that his health quickly deteriorated, and he was unable to continue on without his wife. But his will stated he wanted to be buried back with his family in the outskirts of Manehatten. It was a heavy blow to the Apple family, and the farm, but they endured. Granny Smith was still able-bodied enough where she and Big Mac, who was just learning the ropes, were able to handle the various responsibilities of the farm until Applejack got old enough, at which point she was able to take over.

"What do 'ah do, mama?" Applejack asked, her voice hoarse from the crying she had done on and off all day today. "Ah can't pretend t'know if you'd approve of it. But I can't help it. Not no more. I love Rainbow with all mah' heart. But if it hurts the farm, what do 'ah do? It doesn't feel right to hide it away from everypony. It's love. It should be celebrated. Embraced. Ah'...ah' just don't know what to do, mama. 'Ah feel so...so helpless."

Applejack sat at her mother's grave as if she was waiting for a reply from the world beyond.

But if she was expecting one, it would never come.

PONYVILLE OUTSKIRTS

SOUTHERN FARM ROAD

Rainbow walked several paces behind Princess Celestia, her guards right at her sides at all times. Several minutes after getting out of town, Celestia turned her head to look at Ponyville, and then motioned to her guards.

"Thank you, gentlecolts. Please leave us." she simply told them.

If they thought the order to be unusual, they didn't show it. Both Pegasi, they nodded, and flew off back in the opposite direction towards Canterlot. Celestia slowed her pace so Rainbow came up to her right side, as they continued to walk south.

"I don't take you for the kind of pony that would be susceptible to outbursts of violence like that." Celestia told her, her tone gentle and non-accusing. Rainbow said nothing, her gaze fixated on the ground in front of her.

"I'd just like to know what's going on here. I want to help you in any way I can." Celestia said, trying to get anything out of Rainbow.

"You wouldn't understand" Rainbow said sullenly.

"Try me" the Royal Sister replied.

After several more moments of silence, Rainbow took a deep breath.

"You don't know what it was like growing up. All the bullies...how cruel they were. They didn't care how much their words and actions hurt me, they just wanted a laugh. The teasing, the ganging up on me, the kissing sounds, the pictures they drew and put up around the school. Back then, all it took was the color of my hair for them to call me a fillyfooler. I even considered dyeing it so they'd stop, but my mom wouldn't let me. She said my hair was what made me unique, and that I shouldn't change it based on anypony else's opinion, and that I shouldn't let teasing bother me if it wasn't true."

"Your mother's right" Celestia reassured. Rainbow sniffled, tears pricking her eyes again.

"So I tried ignoring it. When I did that, they got in my face, made sure I saw them. When I couldn't ignore them anymore, I tried going to my teachers. But they were always too busy, and the bullies always waited until they were out of sight to harass me. So when the teachers wouldn't stop it, I started fighting back. That got me expelled. My dad told me to apologize to the school, and to the ponies I gave some bloody noses to."

"So what happened?"

"I refused. My dad was essentially telling me I couldn't stand up for myself when nopony else would help me. The bullies didn't care, the teachers didn't notice, and my parents wouldn't listen. So I ran away. That's...that's how I ended up here in Ponyville."

Rainbow let tears stream down her cheeks again, and trying to compose herself, continued.

"I don't like thinking about my childhood. And I certainly don't want Applejack to experience anything similar to what I went through. She was the first one to give me shelter when I ran away, and after all this, she saved my life, she gave me a place to live, and last night when we finally let our feelings out in the open, she loved me," Rainbow again paused, not easily revealing all this to the Princess. "And that bigot back there wanted to hurt her farm and business for something that doesn't even affect him! It's just one more bigot getting away with bullying!" she defended.

They approached the gates of Sweet Apple Acres, where they stood as Celestia used her magic to set the sun below the horizon to give way to Luna's moon and stars. Afterward, she continued the discussion.

"Rainbow Dash, I'm afraid that Marty is perfectly within his right to refuse to do business with anypony he wants, as he is in pressing charges against you for breaking his window. And you can't let anypony else's opinion change any aspects of your life. Their opinions are nothing more than opinions, and it ultimately doesn't matter what they think of you. You have to follow your own heart."

After a moment's silence, Rainbow again spoke up.

"Then what do you think?" Rainbow asked.

"What?" Celestia returned, honestly surprised at the question.

"What do you think about me and Applejack, two of the Elements of Harmony, being together?"

"Rainbow, I'm one of Equestria's rulers. Giving my opinion wouldn't be appropriate."

Celestia quickly judged that Rainbow was not going to be satisfied by that answer.

"But I would say that in over a thousand years of rule, I haven't found anything more beautiful than two ponies finding love, whether they be stallions or mares. Love has many forms."

Rainbow gave a small smile.

"So, what are we doing here? I thought I was being arrested." Rainbow asked, curious as to why they were back at the farm.

"I deem house arrest to be acceptable for tonight."

"House arrest?" Applejack said, and it was then the two noticed Applejack approaching the gates. "I don't like the sound of that. What's happened?" she asked, concerned.

"I, uh...went for a walk after you came back today, and I guess I lost it." Rainbow explained.

"Lost it how?" AJ pressed, afraid of what she was going to hear.

"I broke Marty's window." she said, still defending her actions.

Applejack's mouth was agape.

"Princess, can you excuse us?" Applejack asked. Celestia nodded.

"Please don't get yourselves all worked up. I'll be back in the morning to deal with this. Hopefully I can talk him down and calm this whole situation."

With that, Celestia ascended into the night sky towards the mountain on which Canterlot sat.

"Why would you do such a thing? Why?" Applejack asked, aghast at Rainbow's actions.

"I was angry. And it was a personal conversation that he overheard."

Applejack was so flustered, that she wasn't sure how to react to all this.

"I don't know how to deal with all of this right now. I've been so overwhelmed today by what's happened. I can't think about this right now. I think we both need to relax." Applejack asked.

"Alright, alright. Actually, a swim sounds good right now."

Applejack walked back inside with a silent nod, while Rainbow briefly went inside to get Gummy, and then she went to the lake for a night swim. With Gummy content wading in the shallows on the shore, Rainbow simply did laps up and down the pond, and it truly seemed to help. When she was here, her problems just seemed to ebb and flow around her, not getting in the way. She lost track of time, because she wasn't sure how long she had been here when she heard a familiar voice from above.

"It's been quite awhile since my sister has had any excitement like that."

Rainbow opened her eyes to see Luna come down to the shore next to Gummy.

"Hi Princess. What can I do forrrrrrwhhhhhat happened to your hair?" Rainbow asked, switching the question mid-sentence when she saw Luna's hair was now flowing, and sparkling as bright as the night sky.

"Oh, yeah. I accidentally used my sister's hair conditioner. It's gonna be like this for awhile." Luna explained. "I just wanted to come and see if you're alright. Celestia told me what happened."

"Then you'll hopefully understand when I say no, I'm not alright. Half of me is ashamed I resorted to vandalism, and the other half is wishing I'd aimed for him instead of the window."

"That probably wouldn't have gone over any better," the night princess commented.

"And on top of all that, I'm still thinking about what to do with that journal. Come to think of it, why did you withhold that from the evidence from the investigation?" Rainbow inquired.

"Because at first I thought it was a ruse; her trump card in case she got caught. It would have made it much easier to plead insanity."

"So what made you change your mind?"

"My own experiences. That millennium ago when my jealousy took control, and I became Nightmare Moon. At that point of realization, I began to reconsider what Pinkie went through. That's when I brought it to you. I thought it was important that you know what Applejack did; all the lives she saved that night."

"I still think Pinkie deserves to be proven innocent," Rainbow said, getting out of the water and sitting next to Gummy on the shore.

"I understand your position, in wanting to restore the public opinion of your friend, but you must be careful with this decision, Rainbow Dash. If you go public with the journal, you will doom Sugarcube Corner, as well as the two ponies who truly had nothing to do with it. You and I both know that Cup Cake and Carrot Cake would never recover if it was revealed what Pinkie did to the confectioneries they sold."

Rainbow shook herself dry, putting Gummy on her head, letting him latch on to her rear locks of hair.

"Well, don't worry. I'm not making a decision on it tonight. There's too much going on right now as it is." she told Luna.

"I highly advise you to try your best to relax. Getting yourself worked up over this won't do you any good. I'm sure Celestia will be able to help tomorrow."

"I sure hope so."

"Have a good night, Rainbow." Luna said, and departed into the night.

"Well, lets go get some sleep, Gummy" Rainbow said to her adopted pet, and trotted back to the farmhouse, both situations still clashing in her mind. She walked through the front door, and saw Applejack resting on the couch in the living room. A question came to her mind, and Rainbow felt as if she had to ask it here and now.

"Do you think we would've ever shown our feelings for each other if it was anypony else? If you had invited one of our other friends over for pie, or rescued anypony else from the basement? What if I hadn't kissed you out on the dock last night?"

Applejack opened her eyes, clearly tired, but still took the questions seriously. After several moments of mulling it over, she looked Rainbow in the eyes and answered.

"Ah honestly don't know, Rainbow. I can't answer that. I invited you over because I enjoy your company, and I want to spend as much time with you as possible. Only last night out on the lake did I see how deep those feelings went."

Rainbow tried to decide if she was satisfied with that answer. Applejack got up and walked toward her.

"Rainbow, sweetheart please, don't think about this too hard right now. We're both confused and hurting. I really think we just need to try to sleep on this. Alright, sugar?" she asked. Rainbow nodded, and Applejack walked down the hall to her room. Rainbow went to the guest room, and was about to climb into bed, when she got another idea.

AJ was about to fall asleep when she heard rummaging down the hall, and pretty soon, here came Rainbow into her room with her saddlebag of items and possessions.

"What are ya doin', Rainbow?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow set the saddlebag gently on the floor next to the nightstand, and climbed into bed with AJ.

"That's the guestroom, and I highly doubt I'm considered a guest in this house anymore. You know, I've never forgotten the first time I was in there, when I first came to Ponyville. I trespassed on your farm, and you gave me a room for the night in return. Thanks to my recklessness today, half of Ponyville knows about us now, and I suppose it doesn't matter anymore which one of us wants to hide it or express it anymore. So I'd say the best way to prepare for showing everypony we're together is right here, at home, in your room. Our room."

As badly as Applejack wanted to smile, the hurt and sadness of today's events was still too much. Rainbow slipped under the covers with her, and embraced her, as they both began to softly cry.

"Oh Rainbow..." AJ sobbed, and they held each other in bed, and slowly cried themselves to sleep.

PONYVILLE

Lyra was pulled from sleep by a musical noise somewhere downstairs. Annoyed, she put her slippers on and made her way downstairs to investigate, the rich notes becoming clearer.

When she got to the living room, she was shocked at what she saw.

Her lyre sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, it's strings vibrating by the plucks of what seemed to be air in the darkness.

It was playing itself. And the notes were all too familiar to her. It was Bon Bon's favorite song. She moved closer to investigate whatever invisible force was playing her instrument, and as she leaned in for a closer look, she realized just a moment too late, one of the strings being pulled violently out in her direction. There was a sharp snapping sound, and Lyra was unable to react in time.

Her scream pierced the silence of Ponyville's night.


	6. Reunions and Regrets

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 4

Reunions and Regrets

SWEET APPLE ACRES

THREE YEARS AGO

Rainbow slowly came to in the same place she had fallen asleep. But something wasn't right. She quickly found out, as she felt a blanket give way around her as she sat up.

"Bout time you got up. I was startin' to fall asleep here." the barn's other occupant greeted. She was an orange earth pony, with braided blonde hair under a cowpony hat.

"Uh...sorry about barging in here. I needed to get out of the storm."

"It's alright. I'm actually curious as to why you came in here instead of moving some clouds around. You are a Pegasus, after all." the cowpony said.

"Well, I'm not allowed to alter forecast weather, and it was freezing up above the storm, so I was close by, and I came in here."

"Looks like ya did more than that" Applejack said, motioning to the apple cores around the Pegasus' hay bale.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry. I haven't had a decent meal in a few days," the Pegasus apologized.

"No need to apologize. They're just a few apples. Come on, let's get you inside. I've got a guest room with a real bed, and let's get a real meal in your belly, and then you can tell me what's goin' on here. By the way, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. Nice t'meet ya. Name's Applejack."

Rainbow smiled, just a bit surprised at the farm pony's hospitality after her trespassing. "Rainbow Dash" she replied.

"Fitting name, to be sure. Come on in the house now."

Rainbow followed Applejack out of the barn, and it was no longer the pouring rainstorm it was when she went in. The stars were now out and shining brightly. It was a short walk to the farmhouse. They came in through the side door, quietly, as to not disturb the rest of the family. Rainbow looked around for a brief moment at the kitchen area that they had come in at. She followed the farm pony down the hall to a guest room. It was a bed, a nightstand, dresser, and closet, with a window with a view of one of the orchards.

"There's a bathroom next door down. If ya need anything, I'm the last door at the end of the hallway.

"I...I don't know how to thank you, Applejack." Rainbow replied.

"Ya can thank me in the morning by tellin' me what's goin' on over breakfast tomorrow. For now, just get some more sleep. Have a good night." she said. With a smile, she gently closed the door, and left her new guest alone. With no possessions of any kind with her, Rainbow had little else to do but climb into the warm, soft bed. Right now, this was better than a cloud. Or a haystack.

She was back fast asleep moments after her head hit the pillow.

Morning came quicker than usual, seeing as how it was the middle of the night when she had woken up in the barn. This time, the alarm clock of choice was a wiggling wet nose on her own snout.

"Now now Winona, leave our guest alone! Get down now." she heard Applejack say. Rainbow opened her eyes to see a tiny puppy on her chest, tail wagging furiously.

"That's mah' new puppy. Only had her about a month. Trying to get her trained and ready to help me around the farm."

Rainbow waited for the puppy to get down and scamper out of the room before tossing the covers aside, and got out of bed.

"Sleep well?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, very well, thanks."

"Well, freshen up and come on into the kitchen. Got a fresh hot breakfast made up for ya."

Rainbow again thanked AJ and made her way down to the bathroom to get cleaned up. She took a quick shower which helped deal with the wet fur smell she gained from the storm last night. Once she was clean and had herself completely dried off, she went out to the kitchen, where a very inviting breakfast was waiting for her at the table, accompanied by Applejack, and who appeared to be her grandmother and brother.

"Well, now that we're all settled, how about tellin' us about your friend here, Applejack." the elderly pony said. Applejack nodded to her, and then turned to Rainbow.

"Well, this here's Rainbow Dash. I found her snoozing out the storm in the barn last night, and was hoping she could tell us what she's doing here. Where are ya from, sugar?" the farm pony asked the obviously hungry Pegasus.

"Um...I'm from Cloudsdale. I...I ran away from home three days ago, and no, I'm not ready to talk about it. It's my business, and I have to deal with it. Sorry if that seems a little rude, but...look, I'm still not sure how to feel about it yet" Rainbow replied, short, blunt, and straight to the point, instead wanting to concentrate on her food.

"Well, you're absolutely right that's its your business. You don't have to talk about it with us if you don't want to. But, I just want to caution you, if you're not returning there anytime soon, you'd probably be best off trying to find a way to support yourself. I can tell ya right now that not many other ponies would be as hospitable to you trespassing on their property and eating their crops." Applejack replied.

Rainbow was about to agree, when the breakfast conversation was interrupted by a sudden, lively barking. Winona, who had been looking out the window, had spotted something in the yard near the house, and was now bolting out the side screen door to give chase.

"Winona!" Applejack called, turning to see what had her dog's attention. Another lone bunny darted into the bushes while Winona frantically circled, waiting for it to come back out, tail wagging furiously.

"Gosh darn it, here I was hoping she got'em all. Mac, ya better get that Fluttershy gal over here again, tell her we've got one more for her."

Rainbow immediately stopped eating at the sound of the name.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy's here?" Rainbow asked, amazed.

"Eeeyup. In town, rather." Big Mac replied.

"I take it you know her?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, she was my friend back from Flight School. My only friend...I haven't seen her in six months."

"Well, sounds like a reunion's in order then!" Granny Smith chimed in.

As soon as he was finished with breakfast, Big Macintosh again headed out to Ponyville at a quick gallop.

"Small world, I guess," Applejack commented, ignoring the continuous barking of Winona, who was doing a stellar job of keeping the lone bunny in the bushes. "So how do you know Fluttershy?" she asked.

"She was in my class at flight school. The last time I saw her was the day I got my cutie mark. She's the only friend I've ever really had. I'm glad she's okay."

PONYVILLE

Fluttershy was tending the small animals she kept indoors when there was a gentle knock on her door. Going to answer it, she was met with a familiar face from the day before.

"Oh, hello again. Big Mac, was it? What can I do for you?" Fluttershy greeted.

"Ah'm sorry to bother you again, Miss Fluttershy, but it seems one of the bunnies wasn't interested in coming with you yesterday."

"Oh dear." the caretaker commented, and ran to get a small bag of carrots, and also a few leaves of lettuce. "Sometimes they just need a little more convincing."

"We also have a friend of yours from Cloudsdale." Big Mac told her, as they left the cottage.

"Oh? Who would that be?"  
>"Her name's Rainbow Dash. Applejack found her sleeping in the barn after last night's storm."<p>

"I wonder what she's doing down here. She's the reason I got my cutie mark."

Ten minutes later, they were back at the farm, and Rainbow came out on the front porch to see her friend.

"Fluttershy!" she said, galloping toward her and embracing her. Fluttershy returned the hug, glad that Rainbow was so happy to see her.

"Awesome, you got your cutie mark!" Rainbow said, eying her friend's flank.

"Yes, I did. Thanks to you, Rainbow. We'll have plenty of time to catch up, but these ponies have a bunny problem for me to finish taking care of."

With that, Fluttershy made her way around the house to the back yard, where Winona was growling at a bush. Applejack successfully called her dog away at Fluttershy's approach, and she laid down in front of the bush.

"Now now, sorry about that noisy dog, but you aren't supposed to be here, little friend. Why didn't you come with me yesterday with the rest of your friends?" she gingerly asked, putting a carrot on the grass in front of the bush. When this didn't entice the pesky bunny out, she added a piece of lettuce to it, and this caused a little black nose to poke out and sniff the offering. After barely a second, two furry arms grabbed both and pulled them back into the bush. Sounds of ravenous eating could be heard.

"Now don't you want to come back to my place, and have all the room to run around, and all the lettuce and carrots you want?"

This question was answered by the last bit of carrot, stem included, being thrown back out, hitting Fluttershy on the forehead with a thunk.

None of the Apple family could exactly tell what happened next. Fluttershy's pupils seemed to dilate, and she again spoke to the creature, who then cooperatively came out of the bush.

"Now there's a good bunny. Come on, let's go get you set up in your new home." she said to her newest companion, who now followed in step.

She approached the group of residents on her way out.

"You can come along too, Rainbow. You can explain what you're doing down here, and I can give you a place to stay." she offered.

"Yeah, alright." Rainbow said, turning to Applejack and Big Mac. "Thanks for the bed and breakfast, and um...for the barn and bale too, I guess." she thanked them.

"Ain't no trouble at all. Hope everything works out for ya, sugarcube. Have a good one, now."

Applejack watched as the two Pegasi departed her farm. She was glad to have made a couple new friends, and wished to see them again soon, but also hoped that that was the last of her bunny problems for a good, long while.

"Well, that was quite the exciting night. Not every day a rainbow-haired Pegasus flies into your barn."

Rainbow walked alongside her fillyhood friend along the hilly path to Ponyville, who seemed to favor walking everywhere instead of flying.

'Just like old times,' Rainbow thought to herself, remembering how Fluttershy rarely ever flew in Flight School.

"So what are you doing here, Rainbow? I didn't think I'd see you again after that race knocked me off the starting line." Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, glad to see you're okay. Well, um, in my case, everything's not okay. I ran away from home, and I've been here and there for three days. I don't want to go back. I don't want to give my dad the satisfaction of coming back. But if I don't..."

Fluttershy politely waited for her friend to get through her thoughts.

"Applejack's right. If I'm not going back home, I've got to find a way to support myself. But...what would I do? And what pony would hire a Pegasus that got expelled from Flight School?"

"Well, looking around can't hurt. And you're more than welcome to stay with me until you find something." Fluttershy offered.

Rainbow couldn't find the words to show her appreciation for Fluttershy's kindness just yet.

"Why'd you get expelled?"

"The bullies that were giving you problems were now giving me problems, and when I fought back, the school that wouldn't do anything about them kicked me out, and my parents wouldn't even listen to my side of the story."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Rainbow."

"Well, if you're gonna put up with me for a bit, then please let me help however I can around your place. What...do you do, anyway?"

"Oh I take care of all sorts of woodland creatures. That's what my cutie mark signifies. I can communicate with animals like no other pony can. And here we are!"

Rainbow looked to the cottage in front of them at Fluttershy's announcement. The two-story home sat atop one of the numerous hills in the meadow. One could see the Everfree Forest on the other side of the meadow, as well as the path to Sweet Apple Acres they had just come down.

A creek ran in front of the house, and a small sandstone arch bridge was built over it, with bushes planted on either side. More than anything, however, it looked like a work in progress. Half-built animal habitats littered the trees and yard, which made Rainbow even more eager to help.

"Well, I just had a good breakfast, so where do I start?" Rainbow asked.

"Well, there's plenty of cleanup to be done in the back yard. This place was owned by a gardener, obviously somepony not very organized. Just pick up whatever tools and shovels you see, and if it looks like they can be used, set them aside. Just stay out of my shed in back."

"Huh?"

"There's a small shed in back, and right now, it's a death trap. So many things stacked on each other. Moving even one thing might bring the whole thing down on you, so just stay out until I can get somepony who can handle that mess, alright?"

"You got it."

"And if you need a break, just come inside and fix whatever you like. What's mine is yours, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow felt tears prick her eyes as she smiled.

"Fluttershy...just...well, thanks. You're really the only friend I've had, and you've got to be the most sensitive, kindest pony I've ever met."

"Not a problem at all, Rainbow. In fact, I have you to thank for all this. If it wasn't for you knocking me down here at the start of that race, I wouldn't have found out who I really was. So let's call it even."

Rainbow gave her friend a smile.

"You got it."

CLOUDSDALE WEATHER FACTORY

BREAK ROOM

Stormcloud had found it increasingly hard to focus on his work at the factory. Right now, he was just trying to find the motivation to go back out to the floor for the rest of his shift, as he sipped at a cup of premium roast Canterlot coffee.

"Hey there, Stormcloud." an approaching voice greeted in the Weather Factory break room.

"Huh? Oh, hey there, Cloudkicker." Stormcloud returned the greeting, sipping at his drink.

"You've been rather distracted lately. What's goin' on with you today?" his co-floor manager asked.

"Oh, it's Rainbow. She got expelled three days ago, and when I told her to go apologize to the school, she took off into the night. I haven't seen or heard from her since."

"She'll come around. She's got a lot of spunk, I'll give ya that."

"By the way, whatever happened to your daughter six months ago? She went missing from flight school during some Pegasus race. The day Rainbow got her Cutie Mark."

"Oh, Fluttershy? She's fine. She sent me a letter just a few days after she went missing. Said she plummeted all the way to the ground before she was caught by a group of butterflies, and found she was able to talk to the animals. She got her cutie mark that day too, and has opened up some kind of animal habitat down in Ponyville."

"Wow, that's good to hear. Glad she's okay."

"What'd Rainbow get expelled for, anyway?"

"She kept on getting into fights. Said the bullies wouldn't leave her alone."

"And you kicked her out for that?"

"I told her numerous times to stop fighting, and she wouldn't listen."

"Sometimes kids aren't the best of listeners. And still, you have to try and see things from her point of view, Stormcloud. That's part of parenting. Fluttershy told me the day she got her Cutie Mark was because of a race that Rainbow challenged some bullies to that were making fun of her. I'm not saying what she did was right, but maybe the school does have a bullying problem. Don't you remember our days from flight school?"

Stormcloud scoffed.

"I recall you got into one fight, and they never bothered us again." he admitted, unable to hide the smirk on his face.

"Maybe that was the problem. Maybe they weren't leaving her alone. Maybe there are too many of them. I'm not trying to tell you how to be a parent; I'm only suggesting you try another point of view."

Stormcloud sighed, taking another sip of his coffee. Until Rainbow returned, the advice of his best friend and co-worker weren't going to do much good.

"Regardless of what happened and why, as concerned as I am, Firefly is worrying herself sick. What am I supposed to do? Rainbow could be anywhere. Where am I supposed to look?"

Cloudkicker reassured his friend as best he could.

"She'll come around. Kids always do."

Stormcloud looked at the last bit of coffee in his cup.

"I sure hope so."


	7. Reflections and Refusals FULL

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 5

Reflections and Refusals

When Princess Celestia received a Spike-delivered letter from Ponyville's Mayor Mare early the next morning, asking her to return as soon as she possibly could, she knew something had gone wrong. She saw the problem from her chariot on approach, even before landing in town. A considerably sized crowd had gathered at the front of the grocery store where the incident with Rainbow had taken place yesterday. Upon landing, she took in the scene as best she could. There were dozens of ponies crowded around the shattered storefront window of the Feed 'n' Seed, some held picket signs with various phrases such as 'Get Out!' and 'No Hatred In Ponyville!' Upon seeing the approaching royalty, the crowd gave her enough room to enter the store, but did not decrease their volume in the slightest. It was obvious why Mayor Mare was concerned.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," were Marty's first words upon the Princess' arrival to the back of the store. "This is my store, and I can rightfully refuse business to anypony I want."

"Sir, in that regard you would be correct," Celestia began, starting the debate off calmly. "You are perfectly within your right to refuse service to anypony. But using that logic, I will also point out that the Ponyvillians are also completely within their rights to protest outside your store. The streets of town are public property, and thus, free for public assembly."

"Further, you need to realize the impact of what you did yesterday. The Apple family founded Ponyville, and you sorely disrespected them yesterday. And what's more, you publicly demanded the arrest of the distressed sole survivor of the worst serial killing spree in our town's history. And the worst part is you don't seem to care." Mayor Mare told him.

"Fillyfooling is disgusting behavior, and I will not do business with one" Marty said defiantly.

"Fine, I'll be more to the point. I do not have enough guards present to protect you from the townsfolk, nor is it my duty to protect you, especially considering your hateful behavior. If you don't begin backpedaling, and I mean right now, you might have to be concerned about more than your business. You might want to be concerned for your personal safety as well."

Marty took a moment to glance out at the mob screaming shouts and insults into his store, and saw that Celestia did indeed have a point.

"What would you suggest?" he asked.

"Diffusing this situation as quickly as possible. Reinstate business with Sweet Apple Acres, drop the charges against Rainbow Dash, and personally apologize to them both" Celestia told him.

The expression that immediately followed on his face was evidence that he didn't like the idea, but he was left with little recourse.

"Fine," he muttered.

Celestia turned and walked back to the front of the store, where two of her guards were waiting.

"Send for Applejack and Rainbow Dash at Sweet Apple Acres." she instructed. The guard nodded and went to carry out his orders. Celestia addressed the crowd.

"Ponyville, please, I must ask for your patience. We are going to try and put an end to this right now."

"_Hey look guys, it's the lespony!"_

"_Haha! Hey Rainbow Crash, my sister starts Flight School next semester. You have to promise not to hit on her!"_

"_Stop it!"_

"_Ooh, what's the matter? You not get enough kisses from your mommy this morning? Mwah, mwah!"_

"_I said stop!"_

"_Aww, hey guys, look. Candy Vag is getting upset!"_

"Knock it off!" Rainbow shouted, bolting up in bed, blood boiling. She glanced around, realizing where she was. Her nightmare had also roused Applejack from sleep.

"You okay, sugar?" AJ asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the sun rose above the horizon.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just...just a bad dream."

Their hooves were barely on the floor when there was a knock on the door. The two of them looked at the clock and realized that they had slept in for once. It was nearly 9 AM. Applejack went to the door, and was greeted by one of Celestia's royal guards.

"Good morning, Miss Applejack. Her Royal Highness has requested both you and Miss Rainbow Dash at the Feed 'n' Seed as soon as possible. They have a situation there" the guard reported quickly.

"Uh, thank you sir. We'll be there as fast as we can." AJ replied. With a nod, the messenger was on his way, leaving Applejack and Rainbow to try and get ready in a hurry.

"That was fast, ah' wonder what's goin' on." AJ commented.

PONYVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE

"Alright class, lets settle down. Now before we go to lunch, what topic should we have for today's Discussion Time?" Cheerilee asked, standing at her podium, getting the chatty class quieted down and under control.

"Ah know, Ms. Cheerilee! We can talk about all those ponies in front of Mr. Marty's store!" Applebloom suggested. She heard the commotion on the way to school that morning.__

"Oh... Ermm... I don't know about that, Applebloom. I don't think that topic is really appropriate for foals as young as you to discuss," Cheerilee explained.__

"Why not?"__

"Because they're protesting that your sister's a fillyfooler." Diamond Tiara rudely broke in.__

"Well, that's not exactly true D-" Cheerilee tried to say, but was cut off.__

"What's a fillyfooler?"__

"It means that your sister would rather marry a mare than a stallion!"__

"That's enough Diamond Tiara." the schoolteacher said, now attempting to get the situation under control.__

"Oh. Ah still don't understand why all those ponies would be angry.__

"They're angry because your sister is unnatural!"__

"Not another word Diamond Tiara!"__

"And just what the hay is that supposed to mean?"_  
><em>**  
><strong>"Don't you get it? Your sister is a filthy, disgusting excuse for a pony! She's almost as bad as the Cupcake Killer!"

"Diamond Tiara!"

Luckily, Scootaloo reacted well before Ms. Cheerilee, and leaped up to hold Applebloom back as she jumped out of her chair and lunged at Diamond Tiara.

"That's mah sister you're talking about you stuck-up brat!" Applebloom screamed. The rest of the class looked on in shock and surprise, and Diamond Tiara, astounded that Applebloom was now intent on knocking her teeth out, held her tongue.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Cheerilee shouted sternly, in a tone that the class had never heard before. It brought an end to Applebloom's struggles to get at Diamond Tiara, as well as any murmurs among the class.

"Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo, switch seats, now. Diamond Tiara, for ignoring me, you will stay inside for lunch hour and recess. I am honestly surprised at you; saying those awful things when they are simply not true. I will be having a chat with your father. Applebloom, you will stay after class."

The situation finally under control, Discussion Time was cut short, and Cheerilee realized her class needed time to unwind, so she let out for lunch early, leaving Diamond Tiara in the classroom to pout with her lunch.

SOUTH PONYVILLE

After making themselves presentable, Rainbow and AJ headed down the path to Ponyville at a quick trot's pace, and they weren't even in town yet before hearing the commotion. Turning from town square to the south part of town, Rainbow wasn't quite sure how to feel about the scene that was before her.

More than two dozen ponies surrounded the front of the Feed 'n' Seed grocery store. Two royal guards stood at attention at the shattered window, and they noticed Princess Celestia and Mayor Mare inside. The crowd outside shouted all manner of insults and protests towards the store, holding signs, some calling for the owner's ousting from Ponyville. Even if she had a fierce, competitive spirit, Rainbow still didn't want to see harm come to anypony. But still, she couldn't deny the rising feeling of gratitude when she saw how many ponies were in front of the store protesting, angry at Marty's hateful act yesterday. The pair of guards, seemingly there to only ensure the Princess' safety, took notice of the two ponies that Celestia wanted in the store, and made a path for them to enter the front doors. Making their way through the crowd, various ponies urged the pair to make Marty apologize, others telling them to not give into the demands of the mayor just for the sake of peace.

Setting hooves in the store, they found Celestia, Mayor Mare, and Marty at the front register, the last trying to hide his disgruntled mood.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, you two." Celestia greeted them.

"Indeed. The sooner we can calm this down, the better." Mayor Mare added.

"Marty has something to say to both of you." the Princess continued, motioning to the store owner. Marty cleared his throat, looking at Applejack.

"Applejack, I...I may have acted too harshly yesterday morning. Regardless of the choices you make in life, and whether you think they're right or not, neither of us will profit from canceling business with each other. I'd like to reinstate business with you as a produce supplier."

Applejack nodded. "Apology accepted, Marty. You're right, losing each other's business won't do no good."

Marty turned to Rainbow.

"Rainbow Dash, we all act impulsively sometimes, and sometimes we make mistakes when we do. I'm dropping the charges I had you arrested for yesterday. You've been through a very traumatic experience, and I won't charge you because your judgment was affected.

Celestia and the mayor looked at the pair. Applejack looked satisfied. Mayor Mare was worried, however, when she saw the look on Rainbow's face, clear confusion and resentment in her eyes as she stared at her.

"I don't believe this. You called us back into town to accept this coerced apology? When a town finally doesn't look the other way when it comes to bullying, the first thing you want to do is sweep it under the rug?" Rainbow asked her accusingly, before turning to Marty, with tears in her eyes.

"And you. You disgust me. I know you're only worried about your business. You turned away Ponyville's oldest and best apple supplier, and demanded that I be arrested for giving you exactly what you deserved. Applejack is the only reason my name isn't on that fountain out there, and you wanted to condemn us because we've grown to love each other. I ran away from home to get away from hateful ponies just like you. Ponyville isn't going to tolerate your bigotry. And Princess, with all due respect, I won't be a pawn in calming this mob."

With that, Rainbow turned tail and stormed out of the store.

"Rainbow, wait!" AJ called.

Rainbow didn't look back, perhaps shocked and saddened that the farm pony had so quickly accepted Marty's apology. The crowd outside quickly returned to it's protesting shouts and insults, most likely fueled by Rainbow's angry, tearful departure from the store.

"I'm guessing that's not going to be enough." Marty said in defeat.

"Ah don't think so. Not with the way Rainbow left." Applejack replied.

"Applejack, please don't judge her too harshly. You see, I believe some childhood memories are resurfacing, and she's having a lot of trouble dealing with them." Celestia told her.

"This can't go on too much longer. My profit margins aren't big enough to handle this much drop in business."

"Maybe you should have thought about that earlier." Celestia told him matter-of-factly.

Applejack went outside to the front of the store to face the crowd.

"Folks, please think about what you're doing. What is this protest going to solve?" she asked.

Among the mixed shouts and responses, she heard someone yell, "It'll teach bigots we don't tolerate hatred in Ponyville!"followed by shouts of agreement.

"Just, please. We need to calm this down before it gets out of control."

It seemed that no matter what Applejack said, it was just fuel to the fire.

"Get the hater out of Ponyville!"

"We don't want your bigotry here!"

For now, the protestors did not advance on the store, and were content to stand and watch the Feed 'n' Seed bleed to death through the loss of business.

Applejack looked around, and found Rainbow to be nowhere in sight.

"Oh, what do 'ah do?" Applejack wondered aloud, making her way out of the crowd.

"AJ, there you are!" a friendly voice called out. Applejack looked over to see Twilight approaching.

"Oh, hey there Twilight. What can I do for ya?" Applejack asked her friend.

"You two were going to meet us at Sugarcube Corner for lunch, remember?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, things have been a little hectic. Give me a minute to find Rainbow."

"Fluttershy found her. She's calming her down, and she'll meet us there."

AJ nodded and followed her friend through town. The streets were considerably less crowded due to the large number of ponies protesting in front of Marty's store. By the time Twilight and Applejack got to Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy was standing at the door, comforting a tearful Rainbow Dash. They went in together, where Rarity was already sitting at one of the larger tables. They all sat down, and Mrs. Cake brought them muffins and hot chocolate, and the conversation began.

"To be honest, we didn't want you guys to find out like this..." Rainbow began, "To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted anypony to find out at all."

"Rainbow, darling. This is love! The strongest kind of friendship there is. Did you really think your friends, the Elements of Harmony, would judge you for this?" Rarity asked, a little shocked at Rainbow's admitted secrecy.

"I didn't know what to think. This has been happening so fast."

"You shouldn't be ashamed of it, Rainbow Dash. You've finally found somepony who makes you happy. It should be celebrated." Fluttershy encouraged.

"I know. It's just that with the way somepony like Marty reacted, I don't want AJ's farm or business to be hurt because of me."

"Rainbow, don't you worry one bit about that. If that protest outside isn't entirely obvious, Marty's actions are not being tolerated in the slightest." Applejack encouraged.

"So how's everypony doing today?" Mrs. Cake asked, bringing everypony refills.

"Well, good enough." Applejack replied, "and yourself?"

"Things are a bit weird around here, actually. Every night, I could swear I'm hearing noises down in the basement. But every time I go to check, there's nothing there. It's been happening more and more often. I hope I'm just hearing things. And with what happened to poor Lyra last night, that doesn't help things either."

"Huh? Something happened to Lyra?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know much. Just that her scream woke up half of her block, and she was taken to Ponyville Urgent Care. She's probably still there."

"I hope she's alright." Applejack commented.

With everypony's lunch finished, they got up from the table and headed for the door.

"Hey AJ, I'm gonna go see Lyra at the hospital. I'm sure she could use another visitor. See ya back at the farm, okay?" Rainbow said.

"Sure thing, Rainbow."

As Dash headed off for Ponyville Urgent Care, Applejack got an idea.

"Hey Twilight?" she called as the lavender unicorn headed back in the direction of the library.

"Yeah, AJ?"

"Uh, can I talk to you privately, in the library?"

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

The front double doors of the care center slid open, welcoming the cyan pony inside. Checking in at the front receptionist's desk, she announced she was here to see Lyra. She was directed down a hallway to Room 14. The door was open, as was the custom during visiting hours, unless the patients requested otherwise. Rainbow saw the bright teal unicorn under the blankets of the partially reclined hospital bed, looking away from her out a window.

"Hey there, Lyra." Rainbow gently greeted with a smile.

The lyre player turned to face her new visitor, and Rainbow saw the reason for her visit to the hospital. There was a square of gauze bandage patched over her right eye, and above her eyebrow, as well as on her cheek, was a deep red scar, running vertical out of both the top and bottom of the bandage.

"Hey there, Rainbow Dash. Always nice to have a new visitor." Lyra said softly.

"What happened?" Rainbow asked, approaching her bedside.

"I imagine it looks worse than it feels," Lyra began. "I woke up to my lyre playing itself on the coffee table last night. When I went in for a closer look, one of the strings snapped, and, well..." Lyra cut herself off, pointing a hoof at the bandage on her eye.

"Are you okay?"

"It spooked me, for sure. As for my eye, I won't be able to see with it for a few weeks, but the doctors say it should heal up entirely. I'm being kept overnight for a psych evaluation. Apparently they don't believe me when I said my lyre was playing itself. Derpy and Berry Punch came and checked on me this morning. But this is a nice surprise. So what can I do for ya, Rainbow?" Lyra asked.

"Well, actually, I came to talk. Ya see, I need to know...I need to know how you did it."

"Did what?"

"You and Bon Bon. How did you two handle being together?"

Lyra stared at Rainbow for a few moments, and saw that she was sincerely interested.

"Why do you ask?"

"Applejack and I are...seeing each other. One of AJ's customers didn't take too kindly to it."

"Ah, so that's what all that fuss outside is about. The hateful bigot is going to deserve whatever is coming to him."

"So how did you and Bon Bon do it? How did you avoid all the ridicule and hate?"

Lyra cleared her throat, as she prepared to give Rainbow her explanation.

"Because we kept it private. We kept our affection for each other in public to a minimum. Nopony else needed to know."

"Why not? Why didn't you celebrate your love for each other? Why is it okay for colt and mare couples to show affection for each other in public, but ponies like us have to keep it behind closed doors?"

"I'll be honest, Rainbow. I don't know. It's just the way things are. But Bon Bon and I didn't care. We had each other, and that's all that mattered to us. We kept it to ourselves because we didn't want the stress of anypony disapproving of our relationship."

Rainbow scoffed. "You shouldn't have to hide it away like it's something to be ashamed of. I mean, at first that's what I wanted to do. But then because of what did yesterday, that's no longer an option, and now, suddenly, I feel proud of it. I want it to be out in the open" she argued.

"We didn't view it as hiding it away. Our relationship was personal. It was no other pony's business. Rainbow, I can't help but notice that in the very short time you've been here, your tone has been rather aggressive whenever you've mentioned your relationship with Applejack. You don't have to defend your relationship from anypony."

"So I just let them say whatever they want?" Rainbow shot back.

"Let me ask you a question. Do you love her?"

"Absolutely. What kind of question is that?"

"An honest one. One you should be constantly reminding yourself of in these first days. You don't want to have to keep defending Applejack in the manner you did yesterday, or you might find yourself in a situation where you won't be able to be with her." Lyra cautioned, essentially advising Rainbow to keep her temper in check.

"You don't understand. Growing up, I was teased and bullied mercilessly simply because of my hair; that was the excuse they used to brand me a fillyfooler. It got so bad that I had to run away from home to get away from it all. So you'll excuse me if I find defending myself a little more commonplace than you, Lyra. What about you? Did you have to deal with anything like that?" Rainbow shot back, albeit politely.

"No, I wasn't bullied, and even if that factors in to what you're going through right now, the love between you and Applejack is still very, very young. You still have some things to figure out."

"Like what?"

"Like how far you'll go for each other. How far out of the way you'll go for one another. How much you'd sacrifice you each other. I promise, when you've figured all that out, when you are 100% sure of your love for her, you won't care what anypony else thinks."

PONYVILLE LIBRARY

"So, Applejack. What can I do for you?" Twilight asked, once they were both comfortable at a table in the library.

"Twilight, 'ah was wondering. In all your books and studies, have ya ever done any research on...love?" AJ asked.

"Love's a pretty broad subject, AJ."

"Well, 'ah mean...relationships. Making 'em work and all."

Twilight gave the workhorse a quizzical look.

"Applejack, where's this coming from? Is everything okay with you and Rainbow?"

"That's just it. Ah...'ah don't think so. That's why I need advice. It hasn't even been two days, and I feel like we're struggling already."

"Well, um, for starters, how did everything start?"

"Ya mean, when did I start having feelings for her?"

"Sure, start there."

"Well, um, I guess a small part of it was way back when she came to Ponyville three years ago after running away from home. I found her sleeping in the barn. There was just...somethin' about her. As time went on, and she and I became better friends and more competitive with each other, it kinda grew without being noticed." AJ explained.

Twilight listened intently.

"Then...then when Pinkie got to her, and I barely saved her, it hit me as I was sitting outside the ER. She's the most important pony in the world to me."

"And then she came to stay with you."

"Yeah. I made it a point to set my feelings aside, and focus on helping her recover. And then...two days ago..."

Twilight sat silently, noticing Applejack's cheeks tint red.

"She kissed me. Out on the swimming dock we built for her."

"So she shared these feelings."

"Yeah! At first I was stunned. Rainbow misinterpreted it and ran back to the house in tears. I fought through my stupor, and realized how happy I was. I chased after her to reassure her, and then...she...she made love to me."

"Alright," Twilight began, "obviously you two love each other, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is everything that's going on! That journal of Pinkie's, this crap with Marty, and Rainbow never told me why she ran away from home, and I think something involving that has come back to haunt her. I think that's why she broke Marty's window. The point is I'm...I..."

Applejack swallowed, tears pricking her eyes.

"I feel like I did outside the emergency room. I feel like I'm losing her all over again."

"Ah, I see."

"Another thing I guess is she's made all the moves. She kissed me, she made love to me, she broke a window in my defense."

Applejack thought some more.

"Maybe I'm not as confident about this relationship as I'd like to be. It just feels like I'm surrounded. By my family, by work on the farm. Heck, even that first night together we had to keep it down to avoid bothering anypony else."

"Then there's your solution."

"What is?"

"Young love is delicate, AJ. To lay the foundation for a long, healthy relationship, you have to give it plenty of attention. It sounds like everything else has come first. And sometimes that can't be avoided, as long as you set aside time for just the two of you."

"So, what, more time in bed?"

"No, not quite. Your bed is surrounded by a house full of sleeping family members. Here's what you do. You take Rainbow someplace secluded, someplace private – just the two of you."

"And then?"

Twilight gave a smile at Applejack's naivety.

"And then you show her how much you love her."

This made AJ blush again, and she smiled.

"Thanks, Twi. I think I will do that." she replied, with a nervous chuckle.

Applejack left the library, and was about to head back to the farm, when she was approached by Cheerilee.

"Oh, Applejack, there you are. I need you to come with me to the schoolhouse, please."

"Why, what's happened?"

"Applebloom almost got into a fight with Diamond Tiara over what's been happening today. You know as well as I do that her curiosity isn't going to just go away. I wanted to come and get you, so maybe you could talk to her about this. You're her legal guardian, so I wanted to check with you."

Applejack let out an exasperated sigh.

"Ah do not need this right now...ugh, alright. I'll talk with her."

The two ponies made their way to the southwest corner of town, where the schoolhouse was. The schoolyard was empty, due to class getting out a half-hour earlier. They entered the classroom, where Applebloom sat at her desk, with a worried, angry look on her face.

"Okay, Applebloom. First, I want you to know that you're not in trouble. I just wanted Applejack to come by so she can explain things. She can probably do it better than I can."

"First off, what happened, sis?" Applejack asked.

"Diamond Tiara started saying you were disgusting and unnatural for 'fillyfooling'. I don't even know what that is, but I wasn't gonna just let her say those things."

"Applebloom, I'm going to have a chat with her father right after we're done here, so you don't have to worry about her." Cheerilee told her.

"And besides, just because she says these things about me, doesn't mean you can start swinging your hooves. She may be a bit of a brat, but she's entitled to her opinion. Believe me, sis. Nothing Diamond Tiara says is gonna matter all that much to me."

"So what is all this fillyfooling talk going around? What's goin' on at Marty's store?" Applebloom asked. Applejack cleared her throat, and took a seat in front of Applebloom's desk.

"Sis, I'd say under more controlled circumstances, you're too young to hear this, but here it goes. 'Fillyfooling' is when a mare loves another mare. Over the course of Rainbow staying with us, I began to have feelings for her. And these past few days, I've realized I love her just as much as I love you, Big Mac, and Granny. And some ponies, like Marty and Diamond Tiara, believe that to be wrong. They think that a mare can only love a stallion. But it doesn't matter to me. Nothing anypony ever says will make me stop loving Rainbow. And a lot of ponies here in town don't like what Marty did to me, which is why they're protesting in front of his store."

Applebloom looked like she understood, but was still a bit confused.

"Why does anypony care who you love? I know I don't. That's yer business."

Applejack smiled.

"That's a question nopony can answer. And knowing that it's my business alone proves that you gotta good head on yer shoulders. So no more fights, okay?"

Applebloom nodded. "Alright sis. I just wish I landed a good one before Scoot held me back. Maybe she'd think twice before sayin' things like that again."

"Sis, fightin' isn't the answer. If Diamond Tiara doesn't learn her lesson today, she will eventually. Now you get on home. Dinner's soon."

Applebloom smiled and got out of her desk and ran out of the schoolhouse. Applejack exhaled. Cheerilee came over to her.

"I'm terribly sorry about putting you on the spot like that, Applejack."

"No no, it's alright. Thanks for coming to get me."

"If it's any consolation, I agree with those protestors out front. What he did was hateful and wrong."

"I appreciate that, Miss Cheerilee. I just hope it doesn't get out of control."

With that, the two ponies bid each other farewell, and Applejack made her way out of Ponyville back towards the farm, making sure to stay clear of the protests continuing at Marty's store as the sun began it's final journey toward the west horizon. She began to wonder if they would even go home for the night. She certainly hoped so. Ponyville needed some peace after today, that was for sure.

She arrived back at the farm, and was greeted by the aroma of crispy hay fries, apple cider, and hot apple crisp for desert. Entering through the side door at the kitchen, she also saw an arrangement of flower sandwiches at the table.

"There you are, about time. Everypony's starving!" Rainbow said. Applejack smiled at her. Rainbow always seemed more her usual self now that she was back here. It felt great to sit down to a nice home-cooked meal after the stressful day they had both had.

"So how did everything go today?" Big Mac asked, with Granny Smith also wanting to know. At first, Applejack wanted to berate her brother for bringing up the topic over dinner, but figured that they had a right to know.

"It's...hard to say. I agreed to reinstate business with Marty, but I don't think that did any good. The protesters didn't budge at all" Applejack reported.

Part of her wanted to ask Rainbow why she didn't just move on and accept Marty's apology, coerced or not. She suspected it had something to do with her childhood memories that she had manage to keep buried, until now. They had finished the main course and were just about to start dessert when there was a knock at the door.

"Now who could that be this time of the evenin'?" Applejack asked, going to answer the front door, visible from the kitchen down the hall. She opened the door, and came face to face with Marty.

"Hey, Miss Applejack. I...I was wondering if I could speak with Rainbow Dash." he requested sullenly.

Applejack carefully considered his request, then called to Rainbow from the front door. Rainbow came around from the corner where the dining table sat, and her eyes widened briefly in surprise, then took on a look of annoyed anger.

"What do you want?" she asked, coming to the door. Applejack retreated back to the kitchen.

"I...I came to apologize again, Miss Rainbow. The situation in town is getting out of control. I didn't sell one item today."

"So because your business is failing, you think I'm automatically going to believe that you're sincere now? Beat it."

Rainbow turned to go back to the kitchen and was about to kick the door closed when he continued.

"Miss Rainbow, please. I'm not here for me. I'm not even here for my store. I'm worried about not being able to feed my wife and filly at home. I'm afraid only you can put a stop to all this."

Rainbow paused, waiting a moment before turning around, giving him another look of disbelief.

"You still don't get it. You think I have any control over what that mob is doing? It's out of my hooves! It's been out of my hooves ever since you made such a public display out of this whole thing! Okay, maybe you patched things up with Applejack, but that still..." Rainbow breathed in, getting choked up, tears pricking her eyes. "...that still doesn't excuse what you did to us. You exposed us. You let all of Ponyville know about our relationship, thinking they'd take your side. Well, they didn't, and now you're paying for it. And you have a family? Really? Well why didn't you think about them before you made this whole mess?"

Marty couldn't reply. He had no ground to stand on.

"Now get off this property. We're having dinner." Rainbow said, turning her back and closing the door.

Applejack saw Rainbow come back into the kitchen crying. Enough was enough. She set her piece of apple crisp down and got up from the table.

"I'm taking Rainbow for a walk. Don't...don't wait up for us." Applejack said, walking to Rainbow's side, putting a hoof around her shoulders. "Come on, Dash. Let's go."

Rainbow simply nodded, and followed Applejack out the side door out towards one of the orchards. When they got far enough away from the house, Applejack walked side by side with her upset marefriend.

"Rainbow, it's tearing me up inside, seeing you like this. I just think there are some things that you need to get off your chest. I've never seen you act the way you did today."

Rainbow sniffled, swallowing, taking a few moments to gather her thoughts, as they walked through the apple trees.

"I...I never told you why I ran away, did I?"

"No. No, ya didn't."

Rainbow took another few breaths.

"Growing up in Cloudsdale, I was always bullied for being a fillyfooler. And back then it wasn't even true. They just used the color of my mane as an excuse. It went on day after day after day. It never stopped. When I tried telling the instructors, they just did it behind their backs. When I tried ignoring them, they got in my face. And that's when I started fighting back. I was good at it, too. All that pent up anger. I wasn't going to be defenseless anymore. And that didn't sit so well with my parents. Fighting got me reprimanded, but it was the only way I could make the bullying stop. When it got me expelled, my parents wanted me to apologize to the school and to the ponies I fought with. And that would've put me right back at square one. I wouldn't be able to show my face in school again. I refused, and my dad kicked me out."

Applejack comforted her friend as fresh tears fell from the cyan pony's eyes.

"Rainbow...I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"It's not your fault. You were actually the first one in a long, long time to show me any compassion. I haven't seen or spoken to my mom and dad since that night. And I'm glad I haven't. Maybe I wasn't fit to be their daughter. They weren't fit to be parents, that's for sure."

"Rainbow, what a thing to say! They did raise you, after all."

"Sure didn't feel like it those last few years. They didn't bother to notice when I came home from flight school stressed out day after day. They didn't hear me cry myself to sleep night after night after night. What was I supposed to do? They didn't listen. They didn't care. I was alone. So I took matters into my own hooves, and when they still didn't hear me out, I figured I was better off away from home."

"So you haven't seen either of them in three years?" Applejack asked, still surprised at that fact.

Rainbow shook her head.

"I still don't know what I'd say to them. I'm not even sure I could forgive them. Luckily I managed to steer clear of them during the Best Young Flier Competition. So all in all, that's why I did what I did to Marty. I've had to deal with bullies all my life over things that weren't true. And I wasn't going to tolerate another one hurting you or your business over the first thing that was true. He gets no sympathy from me if Ponyville wants to hang him out to dry."

They came to a single, secluded apple tree in the orchard. There was a clearing of at least 20 feet all the way around.

"So what's this?" Rainbow asked.

"This was the first apple tree I planted after being put in charge of the farm. When mama died after Applebloom was born, I was still too young to do anything but simple chores. Big Mac and Granny Smith kept things afloat until I was old enough, and then Big Mac and I got equal shares of the Acres."

AJ turned to Rainbow, who stared at the tree.

"We've had a very trying day. And I figured we both need to unwind. Away from the house. Away from the family. Just you..." AJ paused, planting a quick peck on Rainbow's lips. "And me." she finished, kissing her again.

The third kiss, she held firm, closing her eyes. Feeling Rainbow melt into the kiss as well, she allowed her self to fall over into the grass with Rainbow, sliding her hooves through her spectrum mane, sliding her tongue between Rainbow's lips. She slid up so her body was in full contact with her partner's, and began to grind against her, causing Rainbow to moan softly.

"No..." Applejack whispered. "We're alone. You, me, and the stars. Don't be quiet about it. Not tonight." she said, before grinding hard against Rainbow, her intimate area coming into contact with her lover's, causing both to let out short cries of ecstasy.

AJ slowly felt herself get wet between her legs, and when she came in contact with an equally wet Rainbow, she became excited, knowing she wanted it just as badly.

She didn't keep up the grinding for long before rolling Rainbow onto her back, and then getting up briefly to turn around and position herself above Rainbow, and laid back down, her sex just inches from her lips. She teased Rainbow with a few light licks to her inner thighs, causing her to cry out with desire. Rainbow answered by spreading the lips of the workhorse's slit with the tips of her hooves, and she felt Rainbow's breath on her most intimate of areas. The question was who was going to be the first to give in?

Rainbow managed to be the first, slipping the tip of her tongue into the bottom of her slit, then drawing it up, causing AJ to cry out in sexual pleasure. This excited Rainbow, never having gotten a sound like that out of AJ before. She drew her tongue out, bringing a string of the workhorse's juices with it. Rainbow didn't wait for Applejack to begin on her, she was going to make the workhorse fight through her pleasure to do her job as well. She dove back in multiple times, each time pushing her tongue in just a little further. Applejack tried to return the favor, but with the waves of pleasure washing over her, she was sloppy. Rainbow wasn't giving her enough of a break to focus. Not being able to do any precision work on her lover, she pushed her tongue all the way in, but before she could do anything further, Rainbow did the same, and began to suck, causing Applejack to crane her neck up, moaning in bliss. Ever the competitive pair, Applejack had to admit that right now, Rainbow was winning this fight.

While she tried to continually go back down into her mate, Rainbow was just too good, knowing just when to up the intensity of her licking and sucking. When Rainbow's mouth was met with a slightly increased surge of wetness, she knew that AJ was close. Giving one final, long lick, Rainbow sucked vigorously on the farm pony's sex, causing her to scream out as she reached her climax, her body convulsing as she managed to ride her high for several prolonged moments, the muscles in her thighs nearly squeezing Rainbow's snout in her slit. Rainbow continued with the light licks, slowly bringing AJ down from her peak, and she shakily turned around, and nearly collapsed on Rainbow, rolling over onto the grass, laying next to her partner, breathing heavily, satisfied. Rainbow took this opportunity to climb on top of her, giving her a kiss.

"Too bad you barely started with me" Rainbow teased.

Still breathing heavily, Applejack looked Rainbow in the eyes.

"Yeah, well, you were relentless there" she said, kissing Rainbow again. "Besides," she began again, adjusting slightly under Rainbow. "Who said I was finished with you?"

Finishing her sentence, Applejack brought her rear right leg up, and pressed her lower thigh and knee against Rainbow's wet sex. The move caught the spectrum-maned pony off guard, causing her to gasp in sudden pleasure. Applejack kept the soft pressure firm, and began rubbing up and down, massaging Rainbow's most intimate area with her leg. Soon, evidence of Rainbow's arousal became apparent, as it began dripping down Applejack's coat. She was also pleased at the new sounds she was getting out of her lover.

Her stimulation getting higher, Rainbow's legs instinctively raised her rump up into a mating position, and Applejack kept her leg's pace steady, slowly increasing the pressure as Rainbow began to grind back against it. Her front hooves dug into the grass on both sides of the workhorse, and at first she managed to kiss Applejack several times, but as the pressure and pleasure increased, she buried her face in Applejack's chest, eyes closed, beginning to nibble on her lower neck.

The wetter her leg got, the harder and firmer Applejack applied the pressure to her grinding. With a loud gasp followed by a short scream, Rainbow held herself against Applejack's leg as she hit her peak. AJ held her leg against Rainbow, as the wingless Pegasus' orgasm dripped down and soaked into her coat, and began slowly and softly rubbing against her again to bring her down from her high, making it last as long as she possibly could. With Rainbow impressively still half-standing, rear end raised above her, Applejack slowly drew her knee away, only to have Rainbow place her right knee behind Applejack's withdrawing leg.

"No. Please...please don't stop...don't stop," Rainbow begged, her chest heaving, but obviously wanting more. Applejack seemed surprised for a moment, but didn't show it, and was more than willing to give her best friend more.

Pressing her leg once again against Rainbow's sex, she began again. Rainbow grunted, gasped, and moaned as she ground herself against Applejack's leg in tandem to her lover's pattern. Rainbow's juices continued dripping down, and soon found Applejack's slit, causing the farm pony to become aroused again as well.

The second time Rainbow achieved climax, she gave out an even louder, satisfied moan, louder then she ever had in the bedroom, and again remained on her hooves. Applejack repeated her actions, slowing and softening to bring Rainbow down from her peak, but this time, didn't pull away, slowing down to where she stopped for just a moment before beginning again. This pattern repeated for nearly a half-hour, and Applejack found herself surprised, thrilled, and not to mention aroused, at Dash's endurance.

Rainbow held herself hard against AJ's leg again, as she hit her climax for the fourth time this night, letting out a shuddering, stuttering scream, as she released the last of her love onto Applejack's already soaked leg. Finally, her energy reserves exhausted, Rainbow's legs gave way, and she clumsily set herself down, collapsing on AJ for a moment, before slowly rolling off onto the grass, laying at her lover's side.

No words came to Rainbow, as her chest heaved, her whole body shivering from sheer ecstasy. At first, nothing came to Applejack as well, but then, she knew the only appropriate thing to say.

"Only for you, sugarcube," she said, tenderly licking Rainbow's ear. "Only for you."

Rainbow leaned over to kiss Applejack. "Th-thank you, Applejack...thank you s-so much."

"Ya lasted quite a long time there, sugar. I might have to get one o' them stallion toys to really give us a workout."

Rainbow chuckled, quite aroused at the thought, but knew they were quite done for the night. They lay in the grass under the apple tree, as the stars and moon shone over them. Recalling that she had told her family not to wait up, Applejack snuggled into Rainbow, taking in the sweet scent of her mane, and together, the pair fell asleep.

Applejack wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but all of a sudden her eyes shot open, and she was still there, in the orchard with Rainbow, the stars and moon still bright in the sky.

But she felt very cold, very fast. She knew something was wrong.

Upon sitting up to investigate her surroundings, Applejack was forced back down, suddenly and without warning, and found her hooves pinned to the grass by another. She couldn't do anything but draw in a short, frightened breath, as she gazed up at her attacker; at the long, straight mane, shrouding the face like a curtain...

...and she looked into the eyes of Pinkamena Diane Pie.


	8. Reflections and Refusals CLEAN

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 5

Reflections and Refusals

When Princess Celestia received a Spike-delivered letter from Ponyville's Mayor Mare early the next morning, asking her to return as soon as she possibly could, she knew something had gone wrong. She saw the problem from her chariot on approach, even before landing in town. A considerably sized crowd had gathered at the front of the grocery store where the incident with Rainbow had taken place yesterday. Upon landing, she took in the scene as best she could. There were dozens of ponies crowded around the shattered storefront window of the Feed 'n' Seed, some held picket signs with various phrases such as 'Get Out!' and 'No Hatred In Ponyville!' Upon seeing the approaching royalty, the crowd gave her enough room to enter the store, but did not decrease their volume in the slightest. It was obvious why Mayor Mare was concerned.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," were Marty's first words upon the Princess' arrival to the back of the store. "This is my store, and I can rightfully refuse business to anypony I want."

"Sir, in that regard you would be correct," Celestia began, starting the debate off calmly. "You are perfectly within your right to refuse service to anypony. But using that logic, I will also point out that the Ponyvillians are also completely within their rights to protest outside your store. The streets of town are public property, and thus, free for public assembly."

"Further, you need to realize the impact of what you did yesterday. The Apple family founded Ponyville, and you sorely disrespected them yesterday. And what's more, you publicly demanded the arrest of the distressed sole survivor of the worst serial killing spree in our town's history. And the worst part is you don't seem to care." Mayor Mare told him.

"Fillyfooling is disgusting behavior, and I will not do business with one" Marty said defiantly.

"Fine, I'll be more to the point. I do not have enough guards present to protect you from the townsfolk, nor is it my duty to protect you, especially considering your hateful behavior. If you don't begin backpedaling, and I mean right now, you might have to be concerned about more than your business. You might want to be concerned for your personal safety as well."

Marty took a moment to glance out at the mob screaming shouts and insults into his store, and saw that Celestia did indeed have a point.

"What would you suggest?" he asked.

"Diffusing this situation as quickly as possible. Reinstate business with Sweet Apple Acres, drop the charges against Rainbow Dash, and personally apologize to them both" Celestia told him.

The expression that immediately followed on his face was evidence that he didn't like the idea, but he was left with little recourse.

"Fine," he muttered.

Celestia turned and walked back to the front of the store, where two of her guards were waiting.

"Send for Applejack and Rainbow Dash at Sweet Apple Acres." she instructed. The guard nodded and went to carry out his orders. Celestia addressed the crowd.

"Ponyville, please, I must ask for your patience. We are going to try and put an end to this right now."

"_Hey look guys, it's the lespony!"_

"_Haha! Hey Rainbow Crash, my sister starts Flight School next semester. You have to promise not to hit on her!"_

"_Stop it!"_

"_Ooh, what's the matter? You not get enough kisses from your mommy this morning? Mwah, mwah!"_

"_I said stop!"_

"_Aww, hey guys, look. Candy Vag is getting upset!"_

"Knock it off!" Rainbow shouted, bolting up in bed, blood boiling. She glanced around, realizing where she was. Her nightmare had also roused Applejack from sleep.

"You okay, sugar?" AJ asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the sun rose above the horizon.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just...just a bad dream."

Their hooves were barely on the floor when there was a knock on the door. The two of them looked at the clock and realized that they had slept in for once. It was nearly 9 AM. Applejack went to the door, and was greeted by one of Celestia's royal guards.

"Good morning, Miss Applejack. Her Royal Highness has requested both you and Miss Rainbow Dash at the Feed 'n' Seed as soon as possible. They have a situation there" the guard reported quickly.

"Uh, thank you sir. We'll be there as fast as we can." AJ replied. With a nod, the messenger was on his way, leaving Applejack and Rainbow to try and get ready in a hurry.

"That was fast, ah' wonder what's goin' on." AJ commented.

PONYVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE

"Alright class, lets settle down. Now before we go to lunch, what topic should we have for today's Discussion Time?" Cheerilee asked, standing at her podium, getting the chatty class quieted down and under control.

"Ah know, Ms. Cheerilee! We can talk about all those ponies in front of Mr. Marty's store!" Applebloom suggested. She heard the commotion on the way to school that morning.__

"Oh... Ermm... I don't know about that, Applebloom. I don't think that topic is really appropriate for foals as young as you to discuss," Cheerilee explained.__

"Why not?"__

"Because they're protesting that your sister's a fillyfooler." Diamond Tiara rudely broke in.__

"Well, that's not exactly true D-" Cheerilee tried to say, but was cut off.__

"What's a fillyfooler?"__

"It means that your sister would rather marry a mare than a stallion!"__

"That's enough Diamond Tiara." the schoolteacher said, now attempting to get the situation under control.__

"Oh. Ah still don't understand why all those ponies would be angry.__

"They're angry because your sister is unnatural!"__

"Not another word Diamond Tiara!"__

"And just what the hay is that supposed to mean?"_  
><em>**  
><strong>"Don't you get it? Your sister is a filthy, disgusting excuse for a pony! She's almost as bad as the Cupcake Killer!"

"Diamond Tiara!"

Luckily, Scootaloo reacted well before Ms. Cheerilee, and leaped up to hold Applebloom back as she jumped out of her chair and lunged at Diamond Tiara.

"That's mah sister you're talking about you stuck-up brat!" Applebloom screamed. The rest of the class looked on in shock and surprise, and Diamond Tiara, astounded that Applebloom was now intent on knocking her teeth out, held her tongue.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Cheerilee shouted sternly, in a tone that the class had never heard before. It brought an end to Applebloom's struggles to get at Diamond Tiara, as well as any murmurs among the class.

"Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo, switch seats, now. Diamond Tiara, for ignoring me, you will stay inside for lunch hour and recess. I am honestly surprised at you; saying those awful things when they are simply not true. I will be having a chat with your father. Applebloom, you will stay after class."

The situation finally under control, Discussion Time was cut short, and Cheerilee realized her class needed time to unwind, so she let out for lunch early, leaving Diamond Tiara in the classroom to pout with her lunch.

SOUTH PONYVILLE

After making themselves presentable, Rainbow and AJ headed down the path to Ponyville at a quick trot's pace, and they weren't even in town yet before hearing the commotion. Turning from town square to the south part of town, Rainbow wasn't quite sure how to feel about the scene that was before her.

More than two dozen ponies surrounded the front of the Feed 'n' Seed grocery store. Two royal guards stood at attention at the shattered window, and they noticed Princess Celestia and Mayor Mare inside. The crowd outside shouted all manner of insults and protests towards the store, holding signs, some calling for the owner's ousting from Ponyville. Even if she had a fierce, competitive spirit, Rainbow still didn't want to see harm come to anypony. But still, she couldn't deny the rising feeling of gratitude when she saw how many ponies were in front of the store protesting, angry at Marty's hateful act yesterday. The pair of guards, seemingly there to only ensure the Princess' safety, took notice of the two ponies that Celestia wanted in the store, and made a path for them to enter the front doors. Making their way through the crowd, various ponies urged the pair to make Marty apologize, others telling them to not give into the demands of the mayor just for the sake of peace.

Setting hooves in the store, they found Celestia, Mayor Mare, and Marty at the front register, the last trying to hide his disgruntled mood.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, you two." Celestia greeted them.

"Indeed. The sooner we can calm this down, the better." Mayor Mare added.

"Marty has something to say to both of you." the Princess continued, motioning to the store owner. Marty cleared his throat, looking at Applejack.

"Applejack, I...I may have acted too harshly yesterday morning. Regardless of the choices you make in life, and whether you think they're right or not, neither of us will profit from canceling business with each other. I'd like to reinstate business with you as a produce supplier."

Applejack nodded. "Apology accepted, Marty. You're right, losing each other's business won't do no good."

Marty turned to Rainbow.

"Rainbow Dash, we all act impulsively sometimes, and sometimes we make mistakes when we do. I'm dropping the charges I had you arrested for yesterday. You've been through a very traumatic experience, and I won't charge you because your judgment was affected.

Celestia and the mayor looked at the pair. Applejack looked satisfied. Mayor Mare was worried, however, when she saw the look on Rainbow's face, clear confusion and resentment in her eyes as she stared at her.

"I don't believe this. You called us back into town to accept this coerced apology? When a town finally doesn't look the other way when it comes to bullying, the first thing you want to do is sweep it under the rug?" Rainbow asked her accusingly, before turning to Marty, with tears in her eyes.

"And you. You disgust me. I know you're only worried about your business. You turned away Ponyville's oldest and best apple supplier, and demanded that I be arrested for giving you exactly what you deserved. Applejack is the only reason my name isn't on that fountain out there, and you wanted to condemn us because we've grown to love each other. I ran away from home to get away from hateful ponies just like you. Ponyville isn't going to tolerate your bigotry. And Princess, with all due respect, I won't be a pawn in calming this mob."

With that, Rainbow turned tail and stormed out of the store.

"Rainbow, wait!" AJ called.

Rainbow didn't look back, perhaps shocked and saddened that the farm pony had so quickly accepted Marty's apology. The crowd outside quickly returned to it's protesting shouts and insults, most likely fueled by Rainbow's angry, tearful departure from the store.

"I'm guessing that's not going to be enough." Marty said in defeat.

"Ah don't think so. Not with the way Rainbow left." Applejack replied.

"Applejack, please don't judge her too harshly. You see, I believe some childhood memories are resurfacing, and she's having a lot of trouble dealing with them." Celestia told her.

"This can't go on too much longer. My profit margins aren't big enough to handle this much drop in business."

"Maybe you should have thought about that earlier." Celestia told him matter-of-factly.

Applejack went outside to the front of the store to face the crowd.

"Folks, please think about what you're doing. What is this protest going to solve?" she asked.

Among the mixed shouts and responses, she heard someone yell, "It'll teach bigots we don't tolerate hatred in Ponyville!"followed by shouts of agreement.

"Just, please. We need to calm this down before it gets out of control."

It seemed that no matter what Applejack said, it was just fuel to the fire.

"Get the hater out of Ponyville!"

"We don't want your bigotry here!"

For now, the protestors did not advance on the store, and were content to stand and watch the Feed 'n' Seed bleed to death through the loss of business.

Applejack looked around, and found Rainbow to be nowhere in sight.

"Oh, what do 'ah do?" Applejack wondered aloud, making her way out of the crowd.

"AJ, there you are!" a friendly voice called out. Applejack looked over to see Twilight approaching.

"Oh, hey there Twilight. What can I do for ya?" Applejack asked her friend.

"You two were going to meet us at Sugarcube Corner for lunch, remember?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, things have been a little hectic. Give me a minute to find Rainbow."

"Fluttershy found her. She's calming her down, and she'll meet us there."

AJ nodded and followed her friend through town. The streets were considerably less crowded due to the large number of ponies protesting in front of Marty's store. By the time Twilight and Applejack got to Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy was standing at the door, comforting a tearful Rainbow Dash. They went in together, where Rarity was already sitting at one of the larger tables. They all sat down, and Mrs. Cake brought them muffins and hot chocolate, and the conversation began.

"To be honest, we didn't want you guys to find out like this..." Rainbow began, "To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted anypony to find out at all."

"Rainbow, darling. This is love! The strongest kind of friendship there is. Did you really think your friends, the Elements of Harmony, would judge you for this?" Rarity asked, a little shocked at Rainbow's admitted secrecy.

"I didn't know what to think. This has been happening so fast."

"You shouldn't be ashamed of it, Rainbow Dash. You've finally found somepony who makes you happy. It should be celebrated." Fluttershy encouraged.

"I know. It's just that with the way somepony like Marty reacted, I don't want AJ's farm or business to be hurt because of me."

"Rainbow, don't you worry one bit about that. If that protest outside isn't entirely obvious, Marty's actions are not being tolerated in the slightest." Applejack encouraged.

"So how's everypony doing today?" Mrs. Cake asked, bringing everypony refills.

"Well, good enough." Applejack replied, "and yourself?"

"Things are a bit weird around here, actually. Every night, I could swear I'm hearing noises down in the basement. But every time I go to check, there's nothing there. It's been happening more and more often. I hope I'm just hearing things. And with what happened to poor Lyra last night, that doesn't help things either."

"Huh? Something happened to Lyra?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know much. Just that her scream woke up half of her block, and she was taken to Ponyville Urgent Care. She's probably still there."

"I hope she's alright." Applejack commented.

With everypony's lunch finished, they got up from the table and headed for the door.

"Hey AJ, I'm gonna go see Lyra at the hospital. I'm sure she could use another visitor. See ya back at the farm, okay?" Rainbow said.

"Sure thing, Rainbow."

As Dash headed off for Ponyville Urgent Care, Applejack got an idea.

"Hey Twilight?" she called as the lavender unicorn headed back in the direction of the library.

"Yeah, AJ?"

"Uh, can I talk to you privately, in the library?"

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

The front double doors of the care center slid open, welcoming the cyan pony inside. Checking in at the front receptionist's desk, she announced she was here to see Lyra. She was directed down a hallway to Room 14. The door was open, as was the custom during visiting hours, unless the patients requested otherwise. Rainbow saw the bright teal unicorn under the blankets of the partially reclined hospital bed, looking away from her out a window.

"Hey there, Lyra." Rainbow gently greeted with a smile.

The lyre player turned to face her new visitor, and Rainbow saw the reason for her visit to the hospital. There was a square of gauze bandage patched over her right eye, and above her eyebrow, as well as on her cheek, was a deep red scar, running vertical out of both the top and bottom of the bandage.

"Hey there, Rainbow Dash. Always nice to have a new visitor." Lyra said softly.

"What happened?" Rainbow asked, approaching her bedside.

"I imagine it looks worse than it feels," Lyra began. "I woke up to my lyre playing itself on the coffee table last night. When I went in for a closer look, one of the strings snapped, and, well..." Lyra cut herself off, pointing a hoof at the bandage on her eye.

"Are you okay?"

"It spooked me, for sure. As for my eye, I won't be able to see with it for a few weeks, but the doctors say it should heal up entirely. I'm being kept overnight for a psych evaluation. Apparently they don't believe me when I said my lyre was playing itself. Derpy and Berry Punch came and checked on me this morning. But this is a nice surprise. So what can I do for ya, Rainbow?" Lyra asked.

"Well, actually, I came to talk. Ya see, I need to know...I need to know how you did it."

"Did what?"

"You and Bon Bon. How did you two handle being together?"

Lyra stared at Rainbow for a few moments, and saw that she was sincerely interested.

"Why do you ask?"

"Applejack and I are...seeing each other. One of AJ's customers didn't take too kindly to it."

"Ah, so that's what all that fuss outside is about. The hateful bigot is going to deserve whatever is coming to him."

"So how did you and Bon Bon do it? How did you avoid all the ridicule and hate?"

Lyra cleared her throat, as she prepared to give Rainbow her explanation.

"Because we kept it private. We kept our affection for each other in public to a minimum. Nopony else needed to know."

"Why not? Why didn't you celebrate your love for each other? Why is it okay for colt and mare couples to show affection for each other in public, but ponies like us have to keep it behind closed doors?"

"I'll be honest, Rainbow. I don't know. It's just the way things are. But Bon Bon and I didn't care. We had each other, and that's all that mattered to us. We kept it to ourselves because we didn't want the stress of anypony disapproving of our relationship."

Rainbow scoffed. "You shouldn't have to hide it away like it's something to be ashamed of. I mean, at first that's what I wanted to do. But then because of what did yesterday, that's no longer an option, and now, suddenly, I feel proud of it. I want it to be out in the open" she argued.

"We didn't view it as hiding it away. Our relationship was personal. It was no other pony's business. Rainbow, I can't help but notice that in the very short time you've been here, your tone has been rather aggressive whenever you've mentioned your relationship with Applejack. You don't have to defend your relationship from anypony."

"So I just let them say whatever they want?" Rainbow shot back.

"Let me ask you a question. Do you love her?"

"Absolutely. What kind of question is that?"

"An honest one. One you should be constantly reminding yourself of in these first days. You don't want to have to keep defending Applejack in the manner you did yesterday, or you might find yourself in a situation where you won't be able to be with her." Lyra cautioned, essentially advising Rainbow to keep her temper in check.

"You don't understand. Growing up, I was teased and bullied mercilessly simply because of my hair; that was the excuse they used to brand me a fillyfooler. It got so bad that I had to run away from home to get away from it all. So you'll excuse me if I find defending myself a little more commonplace than you, Lyra. What about you? Did you have to deal with anything like that?" Rainbow shot back, albeit politely.

"No, I wasn't bullied, and even if that factors in to what you're going through right now, the love between you and Applejack is still very, very young. You still have some things to figure out."

"Like what?"

"Like how far you'll go for each other. How far out of the way you'll go for one another. How much you'd sacrifice you each other. I promise, when you've figured all that out, when you are 100% sure of your love for her, you won't care what anypony else thinks."

PONYVILLE LIBRARY

"So, Applejack. What can I do for you?" Twilight asked, once they were both comfortable at a table in the library.

"Twilight, 'ah was wondering. In all your books and studies, have ya ever done any research on...love?" AJ asked.

"Love's a pretty broad subject, AJ."

"Well, 'ah mean...relationships. Making 'em work and all."

Twilight gave the workhorse a quizzical look.

"Applejack, where's this coming from? Is everything okay with you and Rainbow?"

"That's just it. Ah...'ah don't think so. That's why I need advice. It hasn't even been two days, and I feel like we're struggling already."

"Well, um, for starters, how did everything start?"

"Ya mean, when did I start having feelings for her?"

"Sure, start there."

"Well, um, I guess a small part of it was way back when she came to Ponyville three years ago after running away from home. I found her sleeping in the barn. There was just...somethin' about her. As time went on, and she and I became better friends and more competitive with each other, it kinda grew without being noticed." AJ explained.

Twilight listened intently.

"Then...then when Pinkie got to her, and I barely saved her, it hit me as I was sitting outside the ER. She's the most important pony in the world to me."

"And then she came to stay with you."

"Yeah. I made it a point to set my feelings aside, and focus on helping her recover. And then...two days ago..."

Twilight sat silently, noticing Applejack's cheeks tint red.

"She kissed me. Out on the swimming dock we built for her."

"So she shared these feelings."

"Yeah! At first I was stunned. Rainbow misinterpreted it and ran back to the house in tears. I fought through my stupor, and realized how happy I was. I chased after her to reassure her, and then...she...she made love to me."

"Alright," Twilight began, "obviously you two love each other, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is everything that's going on! That journal of Pinkie's, this crap with Marty, and Rainbow never told me why she ran away from home, and I think something involving that has come back to haunt her. I think that's why she broke Marty's window. The point is I'm...I..."

Applejack swallowed, tears pricking her eyes.

"I feel like I did outside the emergency room. I feel like I'm losing her all over again."

"Ah, I see."

"Another thing I guess is she's made all the moves. She kissed me, she made love to me, she broke a window in my defense."

Applejack thought some more.

"Maybe I'm not as confident about this relationship as I'd like to be. It just feels like I'm surrounded. By my family, by work on the farm. Heck, even that first night together we had to keep it down to avoid bothering anypony else."

"Then there's your solution."

"What is?"

"Young love is delicate, AJ. To lay the foundation for a long, healthy relationship, you have to give it plenty of attention. It sounds like everything else has come first. And sometimes that can't be avoided, as long as you set aside time for just the two of you."

"So, what, more time in bed?"

"No, not quite. Your bed is surrounded by a house full of sleeping family members. Here's what you do. You take Rainbow someplace secluded, someplace private – just the two of you."

"And then?"

Twilight gave a smile at Applejack's naivety.

"And then you show her how much you love her."

This made AJ blush again, and she smiled.

"Thanks, Twi. I think I will do that." she replied, with a nervous chuckle.

Applejack left the library, and was about to head back to the farm, when she was approached by Cheerilee.

"Oh, Applejack, there you are. I need you to come with me to the schoolhouse, please."

"Why, what's happened?"

"Applebloom almost got into a fight with Diamond Tiara over what's been happening today. You know as well as I do that her curiosity isn't going to just go away. I wanted to come and get you, so maybe you could talk to her about this. You're her legal guardian, so I wanted to check with you."

Applejack let out an exasperated sigh.

"Ah do not need this right now...ugh, alright. I'll talk with her."

The two ponies made their way to the southwest corner of town, where the schoolhouse was. The schoolyard was empty, due to class getting out a half-hour earlier. They entered the classroom, where Applebloom sat at her desk, with a worried, angry look on her face.

"Okay, Applebloom. First, I want you to know that you're not in trouble. I just wanted Applejack to come by so she can explain things. She can probably do it better than I can."

"First off, what happened, sis?" Applejack asked.

"Diamond Tiara started saying you were disgusting and unnatural for 'fillyfooling'. I don't even know what that is, but I wasn't gonna just let her say those things."

"Applebloom, I'm going to have a chat with her father right after we're done here, so you don't have to worry about her." Cheerilee told her.

"And besides, just because she says these things about me, doesn't mean you can start swinging your hooves. She may be a bit of a brat, but she's entitled to her opinion. Believe me, sis. Nothing Diamond Tiara says is gonna matter all that much to me."

"So what is all this fillyfooling talk going around? What's goin' on at Marty's store?" Applebloom asked. Applejack cleared her throat, and took a seat in front of Applebloom's desk.

"Sis, I'd say under more controlled circumstances, you're too young to hear this, but here it goes. 'Fillyfooling' is when a mare loves another mare. Over the course of Rainbow staying with us, I began to have feelings for her. And these past few days, I've realized I love her just as much as I love you, Big Mac, and Granny. And some ponies, like Marty and Diamond Tiara, believe that to be wrong. They think that a mare can only love a stallion. But it doesn't matter to me. Nothing anypony ever says will make me stop loving Rainbow. And a lot of ponies here in town don't like what Marty did to me, which is why they're protesting in front of his store."

Applebloom looked like she understood, but was still a bit confused.

"Why does anypony care who you love? I know I don't. That's yer business."

Applejack smiled.

"That's a question nopony can answer. And knowing that it's my business alone proves that you gotta good head on yer shoulders. So no more fights, okay?"

Applebloom nodded. "Alright sis. I just wish I landed a good one before Scoot held me back. Maybe she'd think twice before sayin' things like that again."

"Sis, fightin' isn't the answer. If Diamond Tiara doesn't learn her lesson today, she will eventually. Now you get on home. Dinner's soon."

Applebloom smiled and got out of her desk and ran out of the schoolhouse. Applejack exhaled. Cheerilee came over to her.

"I'm terribly sorry about putting you on the spot like that, Applejack."

"No no, it's alright. Thanks for coming to get me."

"If it's any consolation, I agree with those protestors out front. What he did was hateful and wrong."

"I appreciate that, Miss Cheerilee. I just hope it doesn't get out of control."

With that, the two ponies bid each other farewell, and Applejack made her way out of Ponyville back towards the farm, making sure to stay clear of the protests continuing at Marty's store as the sun began it's final journey toward the west horizon. She began to wonder if they would even go home for the night. She certainly hoped so. Ponyville needed some peace after today, that was for sure.

She arrived back at the farm, and was greeted by the aroma of crispy hay fries, apple cider, and hot apple crisp for desert. Entering through the side door at the kitchen, she also saw an arrangement of flower sandwiches at the table.

"There you are, about time. Everypony's starving!" Rainbow said. Applejack smiled at her. Rainbow always seemed more her usual self now that she was back here. It felt great to sit down to a nice home-cooked meal after the stressful day they had both had.

"So how did everything go today?" Big Mac asked, with Granny Smith also wanting to know. At first, Applejack wanted to berate her brother for bringing up the topic over dinner, but figured that they had a right to know.

"It's...hard to say. I agreed to reinstate business with Marty, but I don't think that did any good. The protesters didn't budge at all" Applejack reported.

Part of her wanted to ask Rainbow why she didn't just move on and accept Marty's apology, coerced or not. She suspected it had something to do with her childhood memories that she had manage to keep buried, until now. They had finished the main course and were just about to start dessert when there was a knock at the door.

"Now who could that be this time of the evenin'?" Applejack asked, going to answer the front door, visible from the kitchen down the hall. She opened the door, and came face to face with Marty.

"Hey, Miss Applejack. I...I was wondering if I could speak with Rainbow Dash." he requested sullenly.

Applejack carefully considered his request, then called to Rainbow from the front door. Rainbow came around from the corner where the dining table sat, and her eyes widened briefly in surprise, then took on a look of annoyed anger.

"What do you want?" she asked, coming to the door. Applejack retreated back to the kitchen.

"I...I came to apologize again, Miss Rainbow. The situation in town is getting out of control. I didn't sell one item today."

"So because your business is failing, you think I'm automatically going to believe that you're sincere now? Beat it."

Rainbow turned to go back to the kitchen and was about to kick the door closed when he continued.

"Miss Rainbow, please. I'm not here for me. I'm not even here for my store. I'm worried about not being able to feed my wife and filly at home. I'm afraid only you can put a stop to all this."

Rainbow paused, waiting a moment before turning around, giving him another look of disbelief.

"You still don't get it. You think I have any control over what that mob is doing? It's out of my hooves! It's been out of my hooves ever since you made such a public display out of this whole thing! Okay, maybe you patched things up with Applejack, but that still..." Rainbow breathed in, getting choked up, tears pricking her eyes. "...that still doesn't excuse what you did to us. You exposed us. You let all of Ponyville know about our relationship, thinking they'd take your side. Well, they didn't, and now you're paying for it. And you have a family? Really? Well why didn't you think about them before you made this whole mess?"

Marty couldn't reply. He had no ground to stand on.

"Now get off this property. We're having dinner." Rainbow said, turning her back and closing the door.

Applejack saw Rainbow come back into the kitchen crying. Enough was enough. She set her piece of apple crisp down and got up from the table.

"I'm taking Rainbow for a walk. Don't...don't wait up for us." Applejack said, walking to Rainbow's side, putting a hoof around her shoulders. "Come on, Dash. Let's go."

Rainbow simply nodded, and followed Applejack out the side door out towards one of the orchards. When they got far enough away from the house, Applejack walked side by side with her upset marefriend.

"Rainbow, it's tearing me up inside, seeing you like this. I just think there are some things that you need to get off your chest. I've never seen you act the way you did today."

Rainbow sniffled, swallowing, taking a few moments to gather her thoughts, as they walked through the apple trees.

"I...I never told you why I ran away, did I?"

"No. No, ya didn't."

Rainbow took another few breaths.

"Growing up in Cloudsdale, I was always bullied for being a fillyfooler. And back then it wasn't even true. They just used the color of my mane as an excuse. It went on day after day after day. It never stopped. When I tried telling the instructors, they just did it behind their backs. When I tried ignoring them, they got in my face. And that's when I started fighting back. I was good at it, too. All that pent up anger. I wasn't going to be defenseless anymore. And that didn't sit so well with my parents. Fighting got me reprimanded, but it was the only way I could make the bullying stop. When it got me expelled, my parents wanted me to apologize to the school and to the ponies I fought with. And that would've put me right back at square one. I wouldn't be able to show my face in school again. I refused, and my dad kicked me out."

Applejack comforted her friend as fresh tears fell from the cyan pony's eyes.

"Rainbow...I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"It's not your fault. You were actually the first one in a long, long time to show me any compassion. I haven't seen or spoken to my mom and dad since that night. And I'm glad I haven't. Maybe I wasn't fit to be their daughter. They weren't fit to be parents, that's for sure."

"Rainbow, what a thing to say! They did raise you, after all."

"Sure didn't feel like it those last few years. They didn't bother to notice when I came home from flight school stressed out day after day. They didn't hear me cry myself to sleep night after night after night. What was I supposed to do? They didn't listen. They didn't care. I was alone. So I took matters into my own hooves, and when they still didn't hear me out, I figured I was better off away from home."

"So you haven't seen either of them in three years?" Applejack asked, still surprised at that fact.

Rainbow shook her head.

"I still don't know what I'd say to them. I'm not even sure I could forgive them. Luckily I managed to steer clear of them during the Best Young Flier Competition. So all in all, that's why I did what I did to Marty. I've had to deal with bullies all my life over things that weren't true. And I wasn't going to tolerate another one hurting you or your business over the first thing that was true. He gets no sympathy from me if Ponyville wants to hang him out to dry."

They came to a single, secluded apple tree in the orchard. There was a clearing of at least 20 feet all the way around.

"So what's this?" Rainbow asked.

"This was the first apple tree I planted after being put in charge of the farm. When mama died after Applebloom was born, I was still too young to do anything but simple chores. Big Mac and Granny Smith kept things afloat until I was old enough, and then Big Mac and I got equal shares of the Acres."

AJ turned to Rainbow, who stared at the tree.

"We've had a very trying day. And I figured we both need to unwind. Away from the house. Away from the family. Just you..." AJ paused, planting a quick peck on Rainbow's lips. "And me." she finished, kissing her again, laying down with Rainbow under the tree.

They lay in the grass, as the stars and moon shone over them. Recalling that she had told her family not to wait up, Applejack snuggled into Rainbow, taking in the sweet scent of her mane, and together, the pair fell asleep.

Applejack wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but all of a sudden her eyes shot open, and she was still there, in the orchard with Rainbow, the stars and moon still bright in the sky.

But she felt very cold, very fast. She knew something was wrong.

Upon sitting up to investigate her surroundings, Applejack was forced back down, suddenly and without warning, and found her hooves pinned to the grass by another. She couldn't do anything but draw in a short, frightened breath, as she gazed up at her attacker; at the long, straight mane, shrouding the face like a curtain...

...and she looked into the eyes of Pinkamena Diane Pie.


	9. Employment and Resentment

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 6

Employment and Resentment

PONYVILLE

THREE YEARS AGO

Rainbow pranced nervously in front of one of the many houses in Ponyville. She couldn't help but be nervous. She was pretty much applying for her first job.

She had been staying with Fluttershy for a week now, helping out however she could. And then just yesterday, there was an ad in the Daily Equestrian for an entry level weather pony. That was why Rainbow was standing outside the house of Cloud Chaser, the director of Ponyville's Weather Patrol, at 5 in the morning. Her prancing was brought to an end, and her nervousness skyrocketing, as the front door of the house opened, and a brown Pegasus walked out with a cup of coffee. With a yawn, he looked down to get the morning paper, and then noticed Rainbow Dash standing in front of him.

"Who...huh? Can I help you?" he asked, still shaking off last night's sleep.

"Uhhh, yes sir! I'm here for the job opening in yesterday's paper" Rainbow replied.

The Pegasus looked surprised. "Somepony actually saw that ad? Heh, and here I thought nopony read the Daily Equestrian anymore. Too picky about what they print. Anyways, nice to meet ya. Name's Cloud Chaser. I'm the Director of the Weather Patrol here in Ponyville. To be honest, I'd normally have reservations about hiring a Flight School dropout, but Fluttershy put in a good word for ya, so I'll give you a chance. I'll be right back."

With that, Cloud Chaser went back inside for a few moments. Rainbow was surprised, and again flattered at Fluttershy's compassion and willingness to go out of her way for a friend. Rainbow's determination grew. She wouldn't make a liar out of Fluttershy. Not by a long shot. She could do this job. Fluttershy knew it, and she knew it.

A few minutes later, Cloud Chaser came back out with saddlebags on. "Alright, come with me, kid." he said, taking off and flying casually above Ponyville, Rainbow flying at his side.

"Alright, so you read a wanted ad in a paper and had a friend put in a good word. But do you actually know what this job requires?" Cloud Chaser asked. Rainbow knew he wasn't deliberately insulting or doubting Fluttershy's word, and that he was just conducting a job interview.

"Yeah. We had a job fair back in flight camp. I'm assigned a specific area, and then I get the weekly forecast delivered up from the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. I follow those instructions to the letter. I know rainclouds and thunderclouds have to be handled with a bit more care; we can't have them leaking or accidentally going off."

"Well, at least now I know you didn't just read an ad in a paper and come running. You paid attention during your job fair, and you know what this job involves. Good, but some days you'll be pulling long hours, and you may have to cover other Pegasi that call off sick. You up for that?"

"Absolutely! More bits just lead to better things. And I bet I could get the weather forecasts done in record time!"

'Certainly not modest' Cloud Chaser thought to himself. "Well, you've certainly got enthusiasm. So are you gonna send some of the money home or something?" he asked. Rainbow gave him a brief quizzical look.

"Heck no, why would I do that?"

"Oh. Well, it just seemed to me you're still a tad too young to be out on your own."

"Well, that may be, but that doesn't mean my parents are getting one measly cent of my pay. Not after I ran away."

Rainbow's eyes went wide for a moment, as she realized what she had just said.

"Uh, that's not gonna be a problem, is it?"

"Not as long as you do a good job. That's your business."

Relief washed over Rainbow.

"Well, here we are. This will be the area you're responsible for."

Rainbow looked down, and saw they were over Sweet Apple Acres.

"Oh, the apple farm! Cool!"

"Now there's something special about this area. Once a year, you're to let the weather from the Everfree Forest drift over the farm. The owners will let you know when to do that. It has something to do with the apple jam they make once a year. But other than that, just follow the forecasts. I assume until you get a place of your own, you'll be staying with Fluttershy, yes?"

"Yep, probably."

"Alright. So that's that. You start bright and early tomorrow morning. I'll have the mailmare deliver the forecast to Fluttershy's cottage today."

Rainbow shook the director's hoof.

"Thanks for this opportunity, Cloud Chaser, sir. I won't let ya down!"

"I hope not. You've got the motivation. Now you just have to get the skills. Good luck!"

The two ponies parted, and after Cloud Chaser was far enough away, Rainbow did her own loop-de-loop.

"Wahoo!" she cheered, elation quickly taking over. She raced back to Fluttershy's to give her the good news.

"I got the job!" she nearly screamed joyously into her friend's face upon being greeted at the door.

"That's wonderful, Rainbow! I knew you would. I know you'll be one of the best weather Pegasi Ponyville's ever had."

"You'd better believe it! Oh, and he's going to have the mailmare deliver the weather forecast for me here. Hope that's okay."

"Sure, no problem. I hope she gets it here. My mailpony puts my letters in the wrong mailbox all the time."

For the last day of being unemployed, Rainbow once again helped Fluttershy with whatever chores she could. She was mowing the back yard when a gray Pegasus about her age came fluttering down from the sky, carrying a mail bag.

"Are you Rainbow Dash?" she asked, touching down on the grass as Rainbow brought the mower to a halt in front of her. She immediately noticed the odd lisp in the pony's voice, as well as her lazy eyes. Regardless of this, she greeted the cyan Pegasus with a smile.

"Uh, yeah. That's me."

"Hiya. I'm Ponyville's mailmare. I was told you're the new weather pony for the southeast corner of town. Here's your forecast for next week." the Pegasus said, digging into her saddlebag and handing Rainbow an envelope.

"Thanks. Oh, I didn't get your name."

"Derpy. Nice t'meetcha!"

Upon Derpy's departure, Rainbow opened the envelope, and unfolded the paper, her eyes scrolling left and right as she read it.

"Clear skies tomorrow...sounds easy enough. I'll clear those clouds in ten seconds flat!"

The next morning, Rainbow left dark and early, trying her best to stay silent in getting ready, as to not disturb Fluttershy or her animals. When she got outside, the Ponyville outskirts were nearly lifeless. As she flew the short distance to Sweet Apple Acres, she was concerned about not being able to spot all the clouds in the early morning darkness. But by the time she got to the farm, her eyes had adjusted, and she saw that quite a few clouds had drifted over the farm from the Everfree Forest.

Giving her wings a quick stretch, she immediately got to work. Gaining altitude, she came down in a long swoop, her arcing path catching several clouds, and they dissipated as she passed through them.

'Best. Job. Ever!' she said, climbing up for another swoop.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Cloud Chaser made his way through town, glancing at various ponies opening up shops for the day. The sun was now fully above the horizon, and the weather director was making his rounds, making sure the skies were as they should be.

"Oh, and I have to check on the new kid today, see how she's doing with her skies."

Coming to the east side of the market, he noticed an out-of-place cloud, floating about 50 feet above the ground. Squinting at it, he noticed somepony on top, sleeping.

The rainbow tail dangling off the end gave it away.

"So much for her big talk..." he grumbled, assuming she hadn't even started with the forecast yet.

He was about to fly up and give her a stern reprimand, but then he heard an approaching voice calling him.

"Scuse me, pardon me. Mr. Cloud Chaser sir!"

He turned to see Applejack, the co-owner of Sweet Apple Acres, galloping up to him.

"Hey Applejack. Sorry about the skies. I put somepony new on it today. I'll get somepony over to get them clear right away."

"What are you talkin' about? They're already clear! How'd they do it?"

"Come again?" Cloud Chaser asked, requiring a double take.

"They've never been cleared before sunrise! But sure enough, 'ah got up and there wasn't a single cloud over the orchards!"

Cloud Chaser was amazed. Not only did Rainbow Dash talk big, but she delivered, as well.

"So ya got somepony new over my farm? Who'd ya get?"

Cloud Chaser simply pointed up, at the floating cloud. Applejack too, noticed the dangling multicolored tail.

"Well, what d'ya know, she got a job!"

"You know her?"

"Well, no, not really. I found her sleeping in my barn after last week's thunderstorm. She'd run away from home or something."

Cloud Chaser went to see Rainbow's work for himself, and sure enough, Sweet Apple Acres' skies were crystal clear. He was very impressed, to say the least.

"She earned her pay today, that's for sure."

ONE MONTH LATER...

Getting up and tending to her animals as usual, Fluttershy was in the middle of feeding her birds when one of her new bunnies, whom she had named Angel, came and poked her leg, and pointed to the back yard.

"Hmm? You want me to see something in the back yard?"

Fluttershy walked around the front of the cottage to the back yard, and was shocked to see a particular addition.

Next to the shed in back, was a pile of cloud, nearly as tall as the shed itself.

"Oh my goodness, what on earth...?"

"Hey Fluttershy!" Rainbow said, coming down from the skies with another armful of clouds.

"Rainbow, what is this? Why are you piling clouds in my back yard?"

"Oh, sorry about that. This," she began, showing her current haul to Fluttershy. "This isn't just any regular type of cloud. This is Premium Building Cloud. Straight from Cloudsdale!"

"Oh, that's...nice, I suppose, but what's it doing in my back yard?" she asked again.

"I've been setting a little aside each payday. I've almost got enough up to build my own house in the sky above Ponyville. I can finally get out of your hair. I know I've been a bother. I just didn't have anywhere else to put it yet. I need enough before I begin building, so I just put it as out of the way as I could."

"Oh, alright. I was just wondering what it was doing here. And you're...building a place of your own?"

"Yep. So much cheaper than the places available in Ponyville right now. I just need a little more to get the primary living space built. I can add on more whenever I like. That's the advantage of building in the sky."

"Well, best of luck with that, Rainbow. And you're not a bother, not at all. It's been great having you here. Company is nice."

"I just always felt like I was in the way. But thanks for having me."

"How long do you think it'll take to get your cloud house just the way you want it?"

"Oh, I don't know. To get everything right, probably a couple of years."

TWO YEARS LATER

Rainbow awoke in her cumulus bed to the ring of her doorbell. Yawning, she flew out of her room, and went to the front door. Opening it, she was greeted with the familiar face of Ponyville's mailmare.

"G'morning, Derpy. I'm guessing you've got next week's forecast for me."

"No, not today. Mr. Cloud Chaser said he wanted to meet with you as soon as you wake up. He said to meet him in his office down in town."

This came as a bit of a surprise to Rainbow. For the past two years, she had slowly been building this house of hers, and she finally got it just the way she wanted it a few weeks ago, even adding a rainbow fountain. The day-in-day-out of being the Acres' weather pony was very comfortably routine.

"Alright, I'll be right there."

Derpy left, and Rainbow got herself ready in a hurry. She didn't want to keep her boss waiting any longer than she needed to. Getting herself presentable, she flew out the front door and zoomed down to Ponyville. Cloud Chaser's house was over by the town pavilion, and he doubled it as the Ponyville Weather Office, encouraging any citizen of Ponyville to come to him with any weather-related concerns they might have.

Rainbow descended to his front door, and gently knocked. Within seconds, he opened the front door.

"Rainbow, thanks for coming on such short notice."

"No problem, boss. What can I...uh, are you going somewhere?" Rainbow asked, noticing a stack of suitcases and travel bags piled beside the front door inside the house.

"You could say that. I've been promoted to a supervisor position up at the Weather Factory."

"Whoa, that's awesome. So, who's replacing you?"

"You are."

Rainbow was dumbstruck.

"Say what?"

"Yep, you heard me, kid. Congrats." Cloud Chaser said with a smile.

"But...but I've only been here for a couple years! There are ponies all over the weather team that have more experience."

"Yes, but in that two years, you've performed your section flawlessly, and covered for nearly every other section of Ponyville at least once. I've discussed this with the rest of the team, Dash. It's unanimous. Everyone thinks you've got what it takes."

Rainbow was speechless.

"Wow...I mean...uh...wow. This is all so sudden. What do I do? The Summer Sun Celebration is coming up in a few days!"

"Yes, I know. Don't panic. All you need to do for that is make sure the entire sky above Ponyville is clear, and you've proven time and again you can do that in almost no time at all. Princess Celestia is sending down some kind of overseer for the preparations. Put on a good show, and let 'em see why we're the #1 weather team in Equestria."

Dash was still beside herself. Cloud Chaser smiled.

"Don't worry, Rainbow. You've been one of my best weather ponies, and you've got the entire Ponyville weather team behind you. You're gonna do great, trust me."

"I'm...I'm not sure if I trust myself, boss."

"Nonsense. You'll do great, I know it. You start tomorrow. I'm giving you today off. Take some time to relax. You've earned it, for sure."

Rainbow shook Cloud Chaser's hoof, and bid him farewell, and then let him get back to packing. He said he'd forward her all the necessary paperwork to her house in the coming days. Rainbow returned to her house to take it all in.

When she finally let out a "Whoohoo!", nearly the entire market block heard her.

CLOUDSDALE WEATHER FACTORY

THE NEXT DAY

'I'm sorry. Whenever I look at you, I see my daughter. I can't deal with that every day anymore. I'm sorry.'

Stormcloud repeated his wife's last words to him in his head over and over. As he had nearly everyday for the past year, ever since she had left him.

His efforts to find Rainbow in the weeks after she ran away proved fruitless. Equestria was too large to cover ground effectively. His last endeavor was sending out 'MISSING' pamphlets along with every forecast the Factory sent out, but even that returned nothing.

He had tried everything he knew how to do, and after a year, Firefly couldn't take it anymore. She had never said it directly to him, but Stormcloud had always been afraid that she blamed him for Rainbow running away. They hadn't spoken to each other since.

Regardless of his situation, he still had a job to do. The Weather Factory never stopped, so the floor supervisors never stopped either. He turned his grief into focus towards his work. He didn't like to think of himself as a workaholic, but it was the only way he knew how to deal with the pain, and accepting the fact that somewhere, he had gone wrong, and lost his only daughter. This new motivation quickly gained him notice, and now, here he was, recently promoted to Head Supervisor of the entire Cloudsdale Weather Factory. He was proud of himself, yes, but he also couldn't deny the fact that this promotion came from a renewed focus in his work, which directly came from trying to put his broken family behind him.

His new position came with new responsibilities. The first of these was filling his now vacant Floor Supervisor position. Normally, someone lower in the Factory employee chain would be moved up. But the few ponies that were eligible refused the position, knowing the additional stress that came with a manager position.

So he looked out across the entire Equestrian Weather Patrol, and found something that caught his eye: Ponyville.

The small town in one of Equestria's central valleys had one of the most flawless Weather Accuracy records in the books. So he decided to reward that kind of workmanship. He offered his previous position to the town's Weather Director, Cloud Chaser, and he had immediately accepted. He was on his way now, and Stormcloud knew that if he took his punctuality as seriously as he did his weather, that he'd be right on time for their first meeting in three minutes.

And indeed he was. Early, in fact. Stormcloud's new secretary informed him of Cloud Chaser's arrival, and showed him into the impressive office overlooking the various areas of the Weather Factory.

"Hello, sir. Pleasure to be here." Cloud Chaser greeted, shaking the Factory Manager's hoof.

"The pleasure's mine. I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll do with my previous position, given your record with Ponyville. Make no mistake, that's why you're here."

"And I'm proud of it, sir. Nowhere else I'd rather call home. You can rest assured that Ponyville will continue with it's track record. I made sure to replace myself with somepony that I knew could get the job done."

Stormcloud was impressed with the way Cloud Chaser conversed in this meeting. Serious, focused, yet somehow, casual.

"Glad to hear that. Who'd you promote?"

"A young Pegasus that came to me looking for work two years ago when she ran away from home. She's definitely got a knack for it. Name's Rainbow Dash."


	10. Realization and Confrontation

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 7

Realization and Confrontation

SWEET APPLE ACRES

PRESENT DAY

Applejack found herself unable to think as she stared into the menacing blue eyes of the Cupcake Killer. Her long, desaturated mane dropped down the left side of her head, and nearly nearly touched Applejack's neck as Pinkamena slowly lowered her face toward the farm pony's. As the inches decreased between them, Applejack's eyes darted for a split second over to Rainbow, still sleeping soundly next to her. Barely centimeters from her face, the killer finally spoke.

"I see you're having your own private party with Rainbow out here!" she said, in a frighteningly cheery tone. Applejack wasn't sure if she was dreaming, but she decided to treat Pinkamena as a very real threat.

"Ah don't know what you're doing here or how..." AJ began, fighting through her fear, "but you touch her, and I'll make you regret ever coming back."

Pinkie seemed to completely ignore AJ's threat.

"So, how does she taste?" she asked seductively, licking Applejack's neck. "I just tried one of her meaty thighs, but I see you went for the juiciest part..."

AJ continued leering at Pinkamena as she was pinned to the ground.

"What's the matter, Applejack? I can't come to visit my friends?"

"You're not my friend. You're a sick twisted freak in her mind."

"Same body, same mind, Applejackie. Besides, I still consider you my friend. Even after the rude way you interrupted her very special party. Isn't that nice of me? To forgive and forget? I paid Lyra a visit last night, too."

"Ghosts don't last forever." Applejack stated, saying it as much to herself as she did to Pinkamena.

"Oh, and I suppose you're Ponyville's expert on ghosts? I'm not going anywhere. She'll never get rid of it. And soon, I'll be strong enough to continue my parties. I'm sure Dashie is eager to finish hers.

AJ felt a surge of anger rise up in her chest.

"You lay one hoof on her, and I swear to Celestia, I will find a way to make ghosts feel pain."

Pinkamena looked astounded.

"You'd go so far as to hurt me when all I want to do is keep my friends forever?"

Applejack leered at her.

"Yes. The kind of unimaginable pain you put her through. And I don't care what you say; you are NOT my friend."

"You should learn to not say such mean things, AJ. Even after I forgave you!" Pinkamena said, sounding insulted. "It's weird, all the friends I made, all the ponies I threw parties for; you brought an end to it all..."

She placed her front hooves on both sides of her head, finally releasing Applejack.

"Don't worry, Applejack. The stage isn't set just yet. First, things have to be shaken up a bit for my greatest party ever!"

With that, Pinkamena twisted her head violently to the left, snapping her own neck.

Applejack screamed at the sickening crack, and Pinkamena vanished.

Roused by the scream, Rainbow sat up.

"Hey, what's going on?" she asked, her sleep suddenly disturbed, She then saw the frightened look on her friend's face.

"AJ, are you alright?"

Applejack simply stared wide-eyed at where Pinkamena had been.

"Applejack...what's wrong?" Rainbow asked, her concern growing.

AJ didn't have an opportunity to respond before they both noticed something wrong beneath their hooves.

The ground had begun to vibrate.

"What on earth...?" Rainbow asked quizzically at the phenomenon.

Then came the jolt, as both ponies were nearly knocked off their feet as the shaking increased tenfold.

An earthquake.

The apples swayed on the branches in the orchard. Some fell to the grass. Applejack and Rainbow Dash managed to keep their footing, and soon, got their bearings.

"Come on, we gotta get back to the house!"

They galloped as best they could back towards the farm house. Arriving in a matter of minutes, they were about to burst in the front door when they heard someone screaming at them from over by the barn.

"Rainbow! Sis! Over here!" they heard Applebloom cry out to them. They turned to look, and saw that the rest of the family had taken cover in the apple cellar underneath the barn. Rushing to join them, AJ and Rainbow descended the stairs, and Big Mac immediately closed the doors, hearing a window shatter in the shaking.

Sitting in the cellar with nothing but a dim lantern under a shaking barn was unnerving. But about five minutes later, it finally came to a stop. Waiting perfectly still to make sure there weren't any immediate aftershocks, they finally breathed a sigh of relief, and headed back outside to survey the damage, of which, fortunately, there was very little. A bunch of frightened and spooked farm animals, and a few broken windows, but other than that, everything else seemed to hold together.

"We've gotta get into town. Make sure everypony else is okay." Rainbow said, her thoughts falling to her other friends.

Big Mac, Granny, and Applebloom agreed to gather up what spare supplies they could and would head into town after them. Together, Rainbow and Applejack headed through the night towards Ponyville, which was understandably in a bustle after the quake. Coming in the east side of town, one of the first things Rainbow took notice of was no one was attending the Feed 'n' Seed. Marty was no where to be seen. The streets were full of disturbed and confused ponies, some who had most likely woke up when the quake was just coming to an end, and were wondering what had just happened. Fortunately, most of the damage seemed to be limited to broken windows and minor structural damage.

That is, until they came to the center of town, and Rainbow's heart sank in her chest.

The memorial fountain had been reduced to a pile of rubble.

"No way a normal quake could do that...on something that small and sturdy?" she wondered aloud.

Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy had likewise rendezvoused in the center of town.

"Y'all okay?" Applejack asked, the five of them getting together.

"Yeah. All I have to deal with is a bunch of un-shelved books." Twilight reported.

"Just a lot of spooked critters. I've gotten them all calmed down." Fluttershy commented.

Their individual damage assessments were brought to a halt by a commotion heard over by Sugarcube Corner.

"Honey, we don't even know what causes it!" they heard Carrot Cake say to his wife.

"Exactly, and until somepony figures out what it is, I'm not setting hoof in that building!"

"What's going on?" Twilight asked, the group approaching the couple on the steps of Sugarcube Corner.

"Cup Cake's been hearing weird noises in the basement the past few days." Carrot Cake claimed. Cup Cake nodded.

"Mostly it was just soft whimpering, barely noticeable. At first I thought I was hearing things. But during the quake, it turned into full on screaming. It was earsplitting. And I'm not going back in there until we get an exorcist in there or something!"

With that, Cup Cake ran off to see what she could do to help, her husband in tow.

"Something is wrong here, guys. Something is very, very wrong." Rainbow cautioned.

"Let's go check out the basement." Twilight suggested. She immediately turned to Rainbow. "If you want to stay up here, we'd certainly understand."

"And let you guys deal with it alone? No way. I don't care what happened down there. I'm still the Element of Loyalty." Rainbow immediately rebuked.

Together, the five friends entered Sugarcube corner, and descended the steps into the basement.

The lights flickered, the old electric wiring not holding up considerably well against the quake. Some of the cobblestone wall had also fallen to the floor. As they turned the corner, they were shocked at what they saw before them.

Blocking the door to the back room entirely, from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, was a shimmering, flaming green barrier. The attempts to approach it were futile. Some otherworldly force blocked all progress as they closed in to about 10 feet. Twilight tried spell after spell, to absolutely no effect. Beyond the thrums and humming of the barrier itself, they all heard the soft whimpering, barely audible above the ambiance of the barrier.

"Alright. Who could possibly know anything about something like this?" Applejack asked.

After a moment of thought, Twilight had an idea.

"Zecora!" she exclaimed.

With nods from the group, the five ponies ran out of the basement back up to the black Ponyville night. They continued south through town, and continued along the path into the Everfree Forest. It was here they had to slow their pace considerably, keeping out of the way of plants like the Poison Joke, not to mention the increased darkness the forest canopy brought.

Once they caught sight of Zecora's mud hut, they made a break for it.

"Zecora!" Twilight called. The mohawk-haired zebra poked her head out into the forest night, and saw her quickly approaching guests.

"Ponies, come in, come in for goodness sake. It is good to see none of you harmed in the quake."

The five of them entered her hut, escaping the chilly breeze of the forest.

"Now, what can I do for you at this hour? I certainly hope it is within my power?" Zecora asked.

"Do you know anything about spirits and ghosts? Not to mention what might have caused this quake. Ponyville isn't anywhere near any major fault lines." Twilight said.

Before Zecora had a chance to speak, Applejack stepped up.

"Now hold on guys...I...I think I know what the problem may be here."

All eyes were now on the workhorse.

"And what would the problem be?" Twilight asked.

"Call me crazy, but...Pinkie."

Nopony immediately replied to what was just said.

"Darling, how would that be possible?" Rarity asked after a few moments of silence.

"The same way that magical field down in the basement is possible. I saw her, tonight. Not the Pinkie we were friends with. No, the crazy one, the one who wrote most of that journal of hers."

"I think AJ is right, guys. I think Pinkamena is trying something. Something bad."

"You've seen her too?" AJ asked, turning her head to Rainbow.

Rainbow nodded. "A few nights ago, after our first night together, just before Luna showed up with the journal."

"She seemed to mostly want to scare me, it seemed like." AJ added.

"By drawing out your fear, the ghost may thrive. Because you two were the last to see her alive." Zecora hypothesized.

"She only came to you in your dreams?" AJ asked. Rainbow nodded affirmatively. "She seemed awfully real to me. Pinned me to the grass, snapped her own neck, and then she vanished. That's when the earthquake started."

"So what's that got to do with the voices Mrs. Cake's been hearing? The force field in the basement?"

Something clicked in Rainbow's head.

"In that journal, there were two distinct personalities. The Pinkie we all knew, and then this "Pinkamena" personality, that first appeared the day of her surprise birthday party. As the journal went on, and the murders continued, Pinkie became effectively trapped in her own mind. Forced to watch, unable to control anything. But it was still the same body."

Zecora sensed what Rainbow was getting at.

"If this Pinkamena is after you, then the friend you knew is around here too! I'm sure by now we can all see, that only a supernatural occurrence can this quake be. As she feeds on the town's fear, her power grows. What she'll do then, no one knows. Pinkamena is creating fear, and we must stop her, now and here!"

"But...how?" AJ asked.

"This evil, back down to the depths we must send, and the only one who knows how, is your long lost friend!"


	11. Redemption and Revenge

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 8

Redemption and Revenge

PONYVILLE

TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO

Rainbow awoke in her new, in-progress cloud home above Ponyville, brought from her dreams by a knocking at her door. Clearing away the haze of sleep, Rainbow got up and headed for the front door, remembering that Cloud Chaser had left on a week's vacation yesterday, and had asked her to take care of the mail while he was gone. So in short, everything that would normally go to him, for a week, Derpy now brought to her.

"Morning, Rainbow Dash!"

"Hey there, Derpy, what do you have for me?"

"Just some stuff that normally goes to Mr. Cloud Chaser. You're awful lucky the Apple family is making that Zap Apple Jam this week. Guess that's why Cloud Chaser went on vacation, too. Well, here ya go," she said, giving Rainbow a small pile of envelopes from her mailbag. One in particular was a bit larger than any envelope the forecasts came in. Upon checking the address, Rainbow confirmed that this had come from the weather factory.

"What do we have here?" Rainbow asked as Derpy flew off to continue her deliveries.

Deciding to not leave something from the Weather Factory unopened for a week while her boss was on vacation, she tore open the top, and pulled out the single sheet of paper within.

Her eyes widened as she studied the flier. It said:

MISSING

Rainbow Dash

Was last seen in Cloudsdale six months ago. Please contact Cloudsdale Weather Factory Floor Supervisor Stormcloud with any information regarding whereabouts.

There was a full color photo of her in Cloudsdale on the center of the flier. Silently, Rainbow slipped the flier back into the envelope, and returned to her room to slip it under her bed without a word.

CLOUSDALE WEATHER FACTORY

YEAR AND A HALF LATER

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I don't recall ever getting any kind of flier with the forecasts." Cloud Chaser stammered. Upon revealing his replacement to his new boss, the conversation had taken a considerable turn. It turned out that Stormcloud was Rainbow's father.

"I made sure to send out fliers with every forecast that July. How did you not get it?"

"July..." Cloud Chaser said, putting a hoof to his chin. "I went on vacation that year. I put Rainbow in charge of my weather-related mail for that week. I'm can only guess she opened it and kept it hidden. Sir, if I had known..."

"Two years..." Stormcloud muttered, sitting down at his desk. "Two years without a peep from anypony about her. I had given up. I didn't even know if she was alive. And then bam...she's been down in Ponyville all along."

Cloud Chaser looked as if this was somehow his fault.

"Don't worry about it, son. There was no way for you to know. At the very least, I now know she's okay." Stormcloud reassured his new employee.

"Are you gonna go see her, sir?"

Stormcloud remained silent for a few moments, honestly pondering the question.

"I'm not sure yet."

The answer initially surprised Cloud Chaser. But he recalled that Rainbow never really talked about her life before coming to Ponyville, and if she hid the flier away, that was a clear sign that she didn't want to be found. But that was a year and a half ago. Perhaps she just forgot about the flier. Or, as he was guessing Stormcloud was afraid of, Rainbow was still angry over whatever had happened, even after all this time. Cloud Chaser had the mind to not press further, as it was none of his business. Stormcloud knew where Rainbow was, knew she was okay, and that was that.

PONYVILLE OUTSKIRTS

YEAR AND A HALF LATER

The five friends raced out of the Everfree Forest back into Ponyville, where cleanup efforts were starting up in the black of night. Power was minimal, but the townsfolk had set up lanterns and torches where they could in order to provide as much lighting as possible.

"We need the Elements of Harmony. If anything can break through that barrier, the Elements can." Twilight encouraged, and the group made for the library. True to Twilight's damage report, the tree had suffered minimal damage in the quake. Entering the library, the inside was a slightly different story, with books having fallen off the shelves all over the place. It was a few minutes of everypony searching before Rainbow finally found the Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. Flipping it open, there they were; the five Element Necklaces and the Tiara of Magic. The gems of all of them glimmered brightly, save for one; the sapphire on the Necklace of Laughter was faded and dull, reaffirming that Pinkamena had something to do with this. They left the library at a full gallop, heading for Sugarcube Corner once again. The building was still unoccupied, the Cakes still helping other ponies around town. They entered the bakery and immediately went around the back to the basement door. They cautiously retraced their steps to the supernatural flaming barrier between them and the storage room at the end. Together, the five of them concentrated, and their necklaces started to glow. They shot out beams of light at the barrier, and to everypony's surprise, it didn't seem to do any good.

Instead, the Necklace of Laughter thrummed with energy, and with Rainbow holding it, it created a bubble of glowing pink energy around her and Applejack, and pushed them through the barrier. Once on the other side, the bubble popped, and there they stood, together, facing the door to the storage room.

"We're okay, guys!" Rainbow shouted back through the barrier to their friends, unsure if they heard her. Nodding at Applejack, they approached the door, and slowly pushed it open.

What they saw, surprised them.

There, in the center of the room, facing the back wall, was Pinkie. They weren't sure which one. Her mane was flat and deflated, she was facing away from them, in a sitting position, sobbing.

"Pinkie...?" Rainbow risked calling out to her friend.

Pinkie didn't respond, or even acknowledge their presence for that matter. The soft, glowing white aura around her strongly suggest that this was another spirit.

"Pinkie...it's me. It's Rainb-"

"Don't. Please don't come any closer. I don't even want to look at you...to see what that monster did to you...I'm...I'm so sorry, Dashie..." Pinkie said through her sobs, her shoulders heaving.

Ignoring the advice, both Applejack and Rainbow Dash advanced on either side of her. Rainbow approached to her right, and saw, held in her two front hooves, a blood-stained cyan feather.

"You didn't do this to me, Pinkie. I read the Journal. Remember? You didn't know what to do when she started taking victims."

"What?" Applejack asked, shocked. Rainbow turned to AJ, on the other side of Pinkie, as the workhorse leered at Pinkie accusingly.

"You knew what she was doing? While you still had control?"

"AJ, this isn't the time for thi-" Rainbow tried to defend her former friend.

"You could have turned yourself in! You could've put a stop to this before more ponies died!" Applejack cast the blame over the sobbing pony in the middle of the room.

"Applejack!"

"She's right, Rainbow. I was just so scared. I didn't know what was wrong. This is my fault. I could have ended this all before it began. That day...that day before my surprise birthday party...I don't know why I felt the way I felt. I don't know why I thought you had all suddenly abandoned me. I just...just took Spike at his word. I should've known he would say anything for that bowl of gems, not to mention the way I was questioning him...this IS all my fault, Rainbow. I've accepted the entire blame for not taking action when I could. And..." Pinkie took a deep breath, her shoulders heaving as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "And you don't know what it means to me...to know you're taking care of Gummy. But right now, we have to stop her. She's trying to gain enough power to have a complete physical resurrection in this world."

"What do we do, Pinkie?" AJ asked.

"The journal. Destroy it." Pinkie demanded.

"What?" Rainbow asked, shocked. "Pinkie, that journal is the only thing that proves your innocence." Rainbow protested.

"And it's also the only thing keeping Pinkamena alive, Rainbow. I just told you, I'm not innocent in this. Not even close. If anything, all that journal proves is how much of a coward I was. You've forgiven me for what I've done. That's good enough for me. Let the rest of Ponyville hate me, if it brings them closure for the loved ones she took from them. You have to destroy it. Burn it. Burn it so there's nothing but ashes left!"

At that, the room shuddered.

"Sorry, but I can't let you stop my parties before I've even started them again!" came an all too familiar voice. Back at the door, the menacing figure of Pinkamena materialized, and she stared at them all with icy blue eyes. She held a knife in her left hoof. "It seems that keeping you trapped down here did no good. They found you anyway, and now they know how to defeat me." Pinkamena mocked, in a worried tone.

Pinkie stood. Shaken, scared, heartbroken, but ready to do whatever she could to defend her two friends.

"I certainly hope you're not planning on laughing at me in hopes I disappear, Saddie Pie. It's not gonna be that easy. And as for you..." Pinkamena said, leering at Rainbow, pointing the tip of the knife in her direction.

"You and I have unfinished baking to take care of."

CLOUDSDALE

YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER

Stormcloud walked with purpose down the neighborhood streets of east Cloudsdale. After getting Cloud Chaser settled in to his new area, he had taken the rest of the day to think. And now, as the sun was setting behind the horizon, he had decided that he was tired of being alone. He couldn't come to a decision by himself. He had created this mess, but there was still somepony else who deserved to know, and maybe they'd help him come to his decision, to help him know if these fears were at all founded. Coming up to a two story dwelling in the middle of the neighborhood, he strolled up the front walk, and rang the doorbell.

Moments later, the door opened, and there stood his wife, Firefly. Whom he had not seen in a year. She seemed surprised to see him.

"She's alive, Firefly. And I know where she is."


	12. Fears and Flames

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 9

Fears and Flames

CLOUDSDALE

ONE YEAR AGO

"So let me see if I'm understanding you correctly," Firefly began, her husband sitting with her at the dining table. "You spend the last two years looking for your daughter, and now that we finally know where she is, you're hesitating to go see her? Because you're afraid she's still angry?"

Stormcloud knew it was an odd position.

"She got a job not even a week after running away. What does that say to you? To me, that says she had no intention of returning home. And then she hid the flier I had sent with all the forecasts. So not only did she not want to come back, but she didn't want us to know she was down there, either."

Clearly, Firefly was the more impatient of the two, but Stormcloud had come to her with this, even after their falling out more than a year ago.

"We have to go see her eventually. So how will you know when she's not going to be angry anymore?"

Stormcloud couldn't answer that. And he certainly didn't want to stretch his wife's patience anymore than he had to, as they were just starting to reconcile after what had happened.

"I...I don't know. Still, I really don't feel that this is the right time. If she's still angry, she doesn't need the added stress of dealing with us right now. She's just been promoted to this new job, and the Summer Sun Celebration is in two days."

Stormcloud was unsure if his wife was satisfied with that reasoning.

"Sweetheart, don't worry. She's Ponyville's weather director. I don't think she's going anywhere."

SUGARCUBE CORNER

ONE YEAR LATER

Pinkamena expertly maneuvered on three hooves, the fourth clutching the knife, ready to strike at any time.

"Why did I ever consider you to be my friends? All I ever wanted to do is keep you all close to me forever, and to let all the ponies of Ponyville know the friendship I knew with my friends. But now I know the truth."

Pinkamena slowly stepped towards the group of three ponies and ghost. Applejack was conflicted; unsure if they should split up to divide her attention, or to stick close to Rainbow, ready to defend her if Pinkamena made a move against her. The workhorse looked over at Pinkamena's last victim. She stood as determined as the rest of them. Ready to dodge whatever attack came her way.

"The truth is you were never my friends! You abandoned me on my birthday. You tried to put an end to my parties. And even now, when I forgave you, here you are, in league with Saddie Pie, trying to put an end to me for good!"

"You're a sick twisted monster! Unworthy of forgiveness, and unworthy of friends!" Pinkie screamed back, and that was the breaking point. With a shriek, Pinkamena charged. She collided into Pinkie's spirit, ready to drive the knife deep. Rainbow countered with a swift buck to her side, and dodged the retaliatory swipe from the knife. Seeing Rainbow get attacked, Applejack now attacked from the other side, and when Pinkamena swung at her, she was unable to get out of the way entirely, and the tip of the knife went red as it's very tip came in contact with Applejack's right cheek.

AJ barely flinched; her determination far greater than any glancing slash from the knife. Pinkie, seeing what happened to her, went into a rage. Screaming, she rammed her whole body into Pinkamena in a charge, slamming her into the left wall, causing her to drop the knife.

"You won't hurt anypony ever again!" she shrieked, trying her best to pin the Cupcake Killer against the wall. "AJ, Rainbow, go! Get the journal! Burn it!"

At Pinkie's insistence, AJ and Rainbow made for the hall again, the Necklace of Laughter allowing them to pass through.

"Wh-what's going on?" Twilight asked, the other three obviously hearing the commotion on the other side.

"Pinkie's journal. We need to burn it. Spike has the most intense flames around. Get him." Rainbow said hurriedly, as they continued running from the basement.

"But the journal's back at the house! How can we cover that much ground as fast as we need to?" AJ asked.

"You can't but I can. With enough concentration, I should be able to teleport to Sweet Apple Acres and back. You go get Spike!" Twilight said, as they ran up the stairs.

Back in the storage room, Pinkamena struggled for the upper hoof again. With a vicious headbutt, Pinkie's hold on her evil demented half diminished, and Pinkamena took the opportunity. She slid out from Pinkie's grasp, and with all her might, grabbed Pinkie's head and slammed it into the cobblestone wall. Pinkie screamed, and collapsed to the floor, severely dazed.

"Sorry, Saddie Pie, but the parties must go on."

Pinkamena picked up the knife, put the handle between her teeth, and gave chase.

CLOUDSDALE WEATHER FACTORY

SIX MONTHS AGO

Stormcloud sat in the break room of the Weather Factory, after making his rounds. He was glad that his friendships with his co-workers hadn't really changed since his promotion. But still, in six months, he still hadn't gotten up the courage to go see his daughter. Cloud Chaser had been performing his job in the factory superbly, and he had been right; under Rainbow, Ponyville was continuing it's near-flawless weather record, save for a small mistake; they had missed a rainstorm a few days ago, so they were currently making a much bigger thunderstorm to make up for it.

"Hey there, Stormcloud. How's the new job treatin' ya?" the familiar voice of his longtime coworker and friend, Cloudkicker, greeted.

"Afternoon, friend. The job's been pretty good."

"Firefly tells me you found Rainbow Dash by pure coincidence. How's the kid doin', by the way?"

Stormcloud cleared his throat.

"We, uh...we haven't gone down to see her, yet." he admitted.

"Am I hearing this right?"

"She hasn't tried to get in touch with us at all. She stayed with Fluttershy for the first few months after getting a job, then started buying small amounts of Building Cloud to make a place of her own. Purely by chance, she got the flier I sent out instead of the then-director, and she hid it away. I...I don't know, but to me, that says she doesn't want anything to do with us anymore."

"And what does Firefly think of all this?" Cloudkicker asked.

"You didn't ask her? Didn't you just talk with her?"

"You're my friend, Stormcloud. I'd rather hear it coming from you. I know this whole mess caused you two to separate for a year. I just hope you're not going to repeat that mistake."

Stormcloud considered this.

"I know she's trying to be patient with me. I want to see Rainbow again too, it's just that...I don't think I could handle it."

"What?"

"Her rejecting me if she's still angry. I don't know if I could deal with that."

Stormcloud noticed Cloudkicker's eyes glance for a moment to the wall behind him, next to the door that lead back out to the factory.

"Maybe there's a way for you two to see her without approaching her directly." he told his friend, motioning in the direction of the wall.

Stormcloud turned to see what Cloudkicker was getting at. There was an event poster on the wall next to the door. He got up to get a closer look, with Cloudkicker behind him. The poster read:

BEST YOUNG FLIER COMPETITION!

Come and compete against the best of Cloudsdale's youngest fliers, and have your routine judged by this year's special panel of judges: Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia and the Wonderbolts!

Entry fee: 20 bits.

"You always told me Rainbow was obsessed with the Wonderbolts. If she's still infatuated with the group, you think she'd honestly miss a chance to show off for them? When that contest comes around, you and Firefly take the day off and go see her perform."

Stormcloud smiled. "Thanks, Cloudkicker. That's a great idea."

When he went home that night and told Firefly the idea, she was thrilled that her husband was beginning to compromise on his concerns. So three months later, they found themselves at the Cloudiseum for the Best Young Flier Competition, getting some of the highest up seats available.

To keep the cheering and competition fair, the contestant's names weren't listed in the program. It merely stated how many contestants there were, of which there appeared to be 15.

"Do you think she's here?" Stormcloud asked, not having any idea because of the omission of names in the program.

"I hope so. When she was younger she wanted to skip school for every single Wonderbolts show." Firefly said, skimming through the program.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, please rise and join me in welcoming our beloved Princess Celestia!" the announcer began over the stadium's amplifier system. Out of the sky, descended Equestia's loved ruler, escorted by two of her Royal Guards, and she came to a gentle landing on the VIP Balcony.

"Please welcome our celebrity judges for the Best Young Fliers Competition, the Wonderbolts!"

At that, the stunt flying group flew overhead in formation, six members, who then pulled up in a steep arc, performed a quick tight circle line turn, and then exploded outward in a six-point firework explosion, to the cheers of the crowd. Three members broke off as the other three took their places on their own viewing platform, next to the Princess'.

"And now let's find out who will take the prize as this year's Best Young Flier!"

Contestant number 1 came out from behind the curtain. A tan-colored filly. At first they came in order; one, two, and then three. But then instead of Contestant 4, Contestant 7 came out and performed his routine, which had a heavy focus on barrel rolls. In order or not, one by one, they all came out and performed, and still, no Rainbow. They were beginning to lose hope.

"And now, for our final competitor of the day, Contestant #15! Uh, and apparently Contestant #4."

There she was! Firefly quickly pointed their daughter out to her husband. Time seemed to slow as they laid eyes on their daughter for the first time in three years. She had grown. She looked a bit nervous as she moved to her starting position.

Then, to their surprise, came another one of the contestants. This one, was not a Pegasus, to be sure. From this distance Stormcloud could've sworn it was a Unicorn with butterfly wings, and one of the most outrageous outfits he'd ever seen.

"Who...is that?"

Firefly was equally perplexed at the pony's choice of outfit.

"That must be the Weather Factory tourist everyone was talking about today. They're performing at the same time?" she asked.

It appeared so. The two contestants conversed briefly before the Unicorn flew up and began doing some kind of formal dance step in midair, as a string piece of music began to play. At first, Rainbow didn't move, but then she made a dash for the line of cloud pillars that had been set up for her performance. She expertly slalomed her way through them, but Stormcloud noticed something a bit off.

"Careful, Rainbow, careful..." and then he winced, as Rainbow collided with her sixth pillar and went veering off to the left, face first into the side of the stadium.

Three ponies above her laughed. She appeared briefly dazed, but unhurt. Up above, the unicorn's dance routine continued, evolving into rapid spins. Rainbow got her bearings and flew quickly up out of the stadium, up to four close clouds, and began zooming around them. The clouds began spinning rapidly by Rainbow's momentum, and she moved from one to the next, keeping them spinning like tornadoes.

And then, another mishap. Rainbow took a small piece of cloud to the face, sending her flipping off course, and the whirling cloud came quickly down towards the Cloudiseum. In fact, it looked like it would...no, of all places...

Yep. Princess Celestia and her guards up on their balcony had to momentarily duck to avoid being hit by the cloud before it vanished from the impact. Stormcloud groaned. This was not her day.

The unicorn down in the stadium continued spinning, and then began to ascend up, followed by Rainbow, who quickly overtook her co-performer. The unicorn got between the current position of the sun and the stadium, and spread her wings full, covering the crowd with a brilliant spectrum of colors.

"Look upon me, Equestria. For I, am, Rarity!" she claimed.

"Certainly not modest..." Firefly mumbled to her husband.

Several members of the crowd looked in awe at the spectacle.

And then, in a flash of flame, the unicorn's wings evaporated, and she began plummeting down with a scream. The crowd gasped as she fell through the center of the Cloudiseum, continuing rapidly toward the ground.

The Wonderbolt trio was quick to spring into action, quickly taking off and going into a steep dive in an attempt to rescue the helpless, wingless Unicorn. When they closed in on her, they failed to take her flailing legs into account, and all three of them were hit.

Rainbow, still ascending above the stadium, noticed what was going on. She began her own dive.

"Hold on, Rarity. I'm comin'!" he heard her scream as she too, flew down through the center of the stadium.

Stormcloud, Firefly, and the rest of the crowd looked on in horror, as the five ponies quickly plummeted towards the earth.

And then, he noticed something. A mach cone had begun to form around Rainbow. Was...was she really going that fast? How could she hope to pull up in time?

She continued to gain speed, and in an instant, brilliant flash of light, she broke the sound barrier, a circle of rainbow expanding out from where she had done so, as she continued towards the four falling ponies.

A Sonic Rainboom!

Stormcloud saw Rainbow catch the Wonderbolts and the unicorn and pull up at an unnatural 90-degree angle, barely avoiding the ground. She quickly ascended, a rainbow forming in her wake. She arced over the Cloudiseum, a brilliant rainbow now looming over the center, and she came up underneath the center and slowed to a hover as she came up onto the stage again. The contestants who already performed quickly flew in to help relieve Rainbow of her load of four ponies.

When her feet touched the stage, the crowd went absolutely wild. Somepony also had the mind to set off the confetti cannons as well.

Stormcloud and Firefly were absolutely stunned. The overwhelming volume of the crowd continued as a weather balloon was brought in to place the Unicorn safely in. Four other ponies came to talk to Rainbow and the Unicorn, and Stormcloud recognized one as Cloudkicker's daughter, Fluttershy. The three Wonderbolts came to thank Rainbow for her heroic actions, and then Princess Celestia also came down to the group. After a short conversation, the princess got out the tiara for the Best Young Flier.

"For her incredible act of bravery, and her spectacular Sonic Rainboom, I'm presenting the grand prize for Best Young Flier, to this year's winner, Miss Rainbow Dash!"

Princess Celestia placed the gold winged tiara on Rainbow's head, and the crowd cheered again, as three of her friends hoisted her up and paraded her around the stage. Stormcloud turned to his wife.

"You can go see her if you like, hun." Stormcloud said, letting her know it would be perfectly alright if she wanted to go down to talk with her without him. She spread her wings, and was about to take off.

And Stormcloud was very surprised when she hesitated. As if her hooves were stuck to the cloud they were sitting on.

"What...what do I say? How do I say it...?" Firefly asked herself and her husband. It stunned her when she realized she had unknowingly been just as hesitant as Stormcloud had.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed there, standing, unwilling to move. But she saw her daughter take off from the stage, towards her grand prize, a day with the Wonderbolts. She had waited too long. Tears streamed down Firefly's face.

"There will be another time," Stormcloud assured her, putting a wing around her.

Together, they left the Cloudiseum, and flew home.

TWO MONTHS LATER

Stormcloud came in the house after a day at the factory. Today had been, odd, to say the least.

"Hey hun. You home yet? The weirdest thing happened today. The moving team brought up a whole bunch of Premium Building Cloud up today. They said it-"

Firefly rushed into the foyer, in a panic, with a newspaper.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm done, Stormcloud. I'm done waiting. Are you?" she said frantically, showing him the front page of the paper.

PONYVILLE SERIAL KILLER DEAD!

Disappearances in Ponyville solved.

Latest victim Rainbow Dash listed in Critical Condition at Ponyville Urgent Care.

Stormcloud dropped the paper.

"Are you ready? Or do we have to lose her all over again?" Firefly asked, tears pricking her eyes.

"Come on, let's go!"

The two Pegasi bolted down from Cloudsale down towards Equestria's central valleys at the fastest speed they had ever flown, as the sun began to dip below the hills.

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

10 MINUTES LATER

Rainbow lay motionless in the hospital bed. The way she felt right now, she may as well have been dead.

It had been just under 24 hours since Applejack had rescued her from the basement of Sugarcube Corner. Her mind was still in a state of shock. She still hoped against hope that she would go to sleep, and wake up the next morning, and her wings would be there, good as new.

Why had Pinkie done this? That question lingered and burned in her mind. Her friends were the most important thing to her in her life.

Applejack and the others had left only after the staff's repeated insistence. AJ was sleeping out in the waiting room, and the others had gone home for the night.

Rainbow glanced up at the clock on the wall. 9 PM. And right on schedule, one of the nurses came in to check on her before lights out.

"How are ya doing, Miss Rainbow?"

Rainbow didn't answer. She still felt dead on the inside; unsure how she could possibly go on. The nurse checked her heart, and her blood pressure, and made sure her bandages were in good condition as well.

"Miss Dash, we checked your file with the Weather Patrol, and we noticed you don't have any Immediate Family or emergency contacts listed. Before I go, I'd just like to know if there's anypony we can contact for you, let them know you're here."

"No, thank you." Rainbow replied sullenly.

"There's no one? No family?"

"I didn't say that. I said there's no one you can contact. They're the last ponies I want to see right now." Rainbow declared, anger beginning to rise in her voice.

"Miss Rainbow, last night's events were the front page story of every newspaper in Equestria. Chances are they're going to find out where you are."

"And if that happens, you keep them out of here, you understand me? I do not want to see them."

"If they show up, they're probably very worried about you."

"I don't care. If it takes something like this to make them come see me, then I don't want to see them in the first place. I won't let them see me like this."

This nurse said nothing more. She subtly shook her head, and shut off the light.

"Have a good night, Miss Rainbow."

PONYVILLE

10 MINUTES LATER

Stormcloud hit the ground so fast that he actually lost his balance and skidded for a few feet. Firefly landed a bit more gracefully, but was also in a hurry. They asked the closest pony where the Urgent Care Center was, and were pointed to the center of town. Once they spotted the lit medical cross sign, they raced for it at a full gallop.

They almost came crashing through the front doors and into the lobby, startling the desk attendant, a nurse on her current shift.

"Can I help you?" she asked them. Stormcloud approached the desk.

"Yes. May we see Rainbow Dash please?"

"I'm sorry. Visiting hours are over, sir."

"Please make an exception. We're her parents." Firefly added, coming up next to her husband.

The nurse's expression suddenly changed to an awkward sorrowful look.

"I'm...I'm sorry sir. But even during visiting hours, she's given specific instructions to not let any immediate family in to see her."

This was the knife to Stormcloud's heart, and the nurse could tell, too. He stood there, shocked and hurt, for several silent seconds.

"Please. That's my daughter in there. Tell me what's happened to her, and let me see her, please!" he asked. He had a mind to keep his voice down so as to not disturb the sleeping farm pony in the chairs a few feet away.

The nurse sorted through a few clipboards. "I can't let you in there, but I can tell you her condition, if you feel you're truly prepared to hear it."

Stormcloud said nothing, afraid of what they were going to hear. The nurse skimmed the clipboard, and then looked up at the duo.

"She's lost both of her wings."

Firefly gasped, and fell into her husband, sobbing.

"She was at death's door when she was brought here. They got her here just in time."

Both Pegasi in the waiting room were weak at the knees.

"No, oh Celestia, please, not my Rainbow..." Firefly wept into Stormcloud's coat. He put a hoof around her to try and comfort her.

"Please. We haven't spoken to her in three years. I'm begging you...please let us see her."

The nurse's expression was honestly sympathetic, but she didn't relent.

"I sympathize with you, I really do. But I'm afraid we have to follow patient orders."

Stormcloud said nothing else. Fighting his hardest to not collapse there in the lobby, his wing around his wife, he slowly turned, and they walked out of the lobby into the Ponyville night, the doors sliding closed behind them. For the longest time, they just stood there, out in the open. He tried his best to comfort his wife.

"Wh...what...what do we do now...?" Firefly sobbed.

Stormcloud embraced his wife, unsure how to feel or think at the moment.

His worst fears had been realized. Even Rainbow's brush with death hadn't removed her grudge.

"I don't know. I...I just don't know."

SUGARCUBE CORNER

ONE MONTH LATER

The five ponies came rushing out of Sugarcube Corner out into the Ponyville midnight.

"Where's the journal? I'll go get it." Twilight said.

"In Applejack's room in my saddlebag. Last room down the hall." Rainbow answered.

Twilight nodded. "Somepony go get Spike. Make sure he's ready when I get back. This'll only take a second."

Twilight's horn glowed brilliantly, and with a flash, she vanished. AJ ran down the marketplace to the library. "Spike! Important dragon job for you!" she yelled. Spike came running, and they rushed back to the collapsed, shambled fountain.

And then the ground began to rumble again.

Twilight re-appeared with a purple flash, Pinkie's bloodstained journal in her horn's grasp. She tossed it into the fountain.

"Spike, burn that, now!" Twilight told him urgently. Spike ran up to the fountain.

"Dashie, time for baking!" came the sinister voice of Pinkamena from the doorway of Sugarcube Corner.

"Rainbow look out!" Rarity screamed.

Rainbow turned, just in time to see the knife, spinning end on end, coming at her with a whirling sound.

Before she could even react, there was a dull 'thunk!', as the thrown knife found it's mark.

Deep in Rainbow's chest. Her eyes went wide, and she found herself unable to scream or breathe.

"Rainbow!" Applejack shrieked.

"Spike, now! Now!" Twilight yelled.

With a furious intake of breath, Spike let loose a stream of green flame on the book resting on the rubble. Smoke erupted as it incinerated almost instantly. Pinkamena screamed as she grabbed onto Sugarcube Corner's doorframe as her body began to smolder and crackle. Spike immediately followed up with a second blast of flame.

Rainbow collapsed to the ground as Applejack ran up to her, removed the knife, and immediately, fear gripped her heart. Rainbow's left lung had been punctured.

With one last scream of defiance, Pinkamena Diane Pie disintegrated into nothing.

"Rainbow! Rainbow! Somepony get a doctor!" Applejack screamed as she held the silent, dying Pegasus in her hooves. Blood began to bubble up from her throat, and Rainbow could do nothing but look in silent pain, up into her lover's eyes.

"Just hang on, Sugarcube, we're getting help, ya hear? Help is on the way."

The Element of Honesty found it difficult not to choke on the lie as Rainbow slowly drowned internally in her own blood, unable to speak or breathe due to her fatal wound. Her body convulsed once, her eyes closed, and she went still.

"No...no no no...please no!" Applejack pleaded, crying into Rainbow's mane.

Spike and the others slowly gathered, tears rolling down their faces. It had happened impossibly fast.

Then, after several seconds, they noticed the Necklace of Laughter on the ground next to AJ and Rainbow begin to glow, it's gem becoming brilliant and shimmering again. This was joined by another source of light, over by the fountain.

Up from the smoldering ashes of the journal, rose the glowing white silhouette of a pony. As the seconds passed, it was joined by a dozen other glowing spirits rising up from the fountain rubble.

These ponies of pure white light had no eyes, mouths, or other features, but the spirit that had risen from the journal's ashes was unmistakably Pinkie, and they recognized the others as the victims of Pinkamena. Silent, the shimmering glowing spirits began to form a circle around the group of ponies, as Pinkie slowly made her way over to AJ and the lifeless Rainbow.

At this distance, AJ could just begin to see Pinkie's sorrowful eyes through the light. She knelt down to the duo, and the Necklace of Laughter floated up from the ground and fastened itself around the spirit's neck.

"She did more for me than I'll ever be able to repay. She tried to help me when everypony else ignored me. She forgave me when everypony else condemned me. There truly is nopony more worthy of the Element of Loyalty."

Pinkie leaned down, centimeters from Rainbow's face, as the Necklace of Loyalty and the others began to glow brightly.

"I want you to keep my Necklace, Rainbow. Keep it until you find somepony else who laughs their troubles away."

With that, Pinkie slipped her arms under Rainbow, and embraced her, and her glowing white body exploded in a brilliant flash of light, followed by the other ghosts present. Applejack and the others tried to shield their eyes, to no avail. The light was too bright. It lasted around ten seconds, and then, the light faded, returning Ponyville to the early morning black.

Applejack and the others opened their eyes. The spirits were gone. They noticed the Necklace of Laughter on the ground next to the motionless Rainbow, and were unable to speak at what they saw.


	13. Heart and Healing

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

Chapter 10

Heart and Healing

PONYVILLE OUTSKIRTS

THREE WEEKS AGO

Mayor Mare was up bright and early at the crack of dawn to oversee preparations for today's race. Without a doubt, this year was going to be special.

It had barely been a week since the disappearances and killings in town had been solved. Newspapers around Equestria had called them "The Cupcake Killings." Regardless of last week's events, Ponyville was determined to carry on as usual, and it was only a few days ago that the organizers of the Running of the Leaves got quite the unexpected message: Rainbow Dash would be competing.

Several of the organizers voiced their concerns to Applejack, the bringer of the news, that Rainbow should be in bed recovering. She claimed she had been over all this with Rainbow herself, and she was quite stubborn about running the race. News of this spread quickly, and race attendance was looking to highly increase because of this single participant.

Checking all around the starting area on various preparations, the Mayor saw a chariot approaching in the rising sun, from the direction of Cloudsdale. Being pulled by three Pegasi, it came to a slow, gentle landing by the start line. In the chariot, was a black cauldron.

"Where would you like it, Ms. Mayor?" the lead pony on the chariot said, unhooking himself from the yolk.

"Right next to the starting line would be perfect." she replied, and the gray Pegasus directed the other two to place it so.

"I'd like to personally thank you for donating that liquid rainbow, Mr. Stormcloud. It means so much to the town to see Rainbow Dash getting this kind of support in her recovery."

The Weather Factory manager smiled.

"I hope it means just as much to her, as well." he said.

Once the cauldron had been set down next to the start line, one of the other chariot haulers came over to Stormcloud, while the last remaining one went to pull the chariot out of the way.

"Do you think it'll help?" Firefly asked privately, after coming over from the chariot.

"I don't know. I doubt she even knows I got promoted. But if it helps lift her spirits, it doesn't matter if she knows who it's from."

As the sun began to rise over Ponyville, the spectators and competitors began to trickle into the starting area, and began dipping their hooves in the liquid rainbow. At first, they wanted to actively search for their daughter, but then reconsidered. Knowing now how she still felt, they didn't want to confront her before this big race. Instead, they made their way over to the cauldron they had brought, and joined a few other newcomers at dipping one of their front hooves in the liquid rainbow to show support for their daughter's recovery.

A short time later, as the racers were preparing to begin, the duo subtly slipped to the back of the crowd, close to the starting line. The Running of the Leaves course would take them mostly through the woods, as the purpose of this race was to aid the trees in losing their leaves for autumn, through the hills and back here for the finish.

"Good morning, Ponyville, and welcome to the opening ceremonies of the Annual Running of the Leaves! This is your eye in the sky, Spike! Along with my new co-host, Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's protege and Ponyville's newest librarian floated above the starting area in a pink and purple weather balloon, along with her baby dragon assistant, Spike, who had assisted with the commentary last year with Pinkie.

"Thanks, Spike. It certainly looks like this year's Running of the Leaves will be one to remember. In no small part to a generous donation by the Cloudsdale Weather Factory!"

"That's right, Twilight. This morning, the Pegasi factory workers brought down an entire cauldron of liquid rainbow to the opening ceremony, and the race's spectators and participants alike have dipped a hoof in the cauldron to show their support for Rainbow Dash!"

"Ever since what's now being known as the Case of the Cupcake Kidnappings having been closed, everypony attending the Running of the Leaves are showing their gratitude that the last victim managed to make it out alive. And despite some concerns about her recovery, Rainbow Dash has decided to enter the Running of the Leaves again this year, and she's determined to win it!"

Stormcloud and Firefly saw Rainbow mingle with some of the other competitors, until the farm pony that they saw in the waiting room the other night come up to her. The conversed briefly before sharing a hug, and then took their positions next to each other on the start line.

"On your marks, racers!" Twilight announced from up top.

"Get set..." Spike continued, the ponies hunched down, ready to take off.

"GO!"

And they were off, leaving a wake of dirt and dust. At first, Stormcloud and Firefly were worried about their daughter's well-being, but their worries were set aside when they saw her hold her own off the start. She and the farm pony stayed neck and neck as they made their way into the words.

"And they're off! And thus begins the annual Running of the Leaves. Rainbow Dash seems to be holding her own along with Applejack in this opening leg of the race. Attendees of last year's event may remember that these two ponies had a competition in last year's race following a controversial Iron Pony match, but due to them constantly trying to one-up the other, they tied for last. But if this start is any indication, it's looking to be quite different this year."

The two of them listened to every word of the commentators as the balloon moved with the racers along the forest. Before they knew it, they were coming up on the final stretch, and Applejack and Rainbow were neck and neck.

"We're coming up on the final leg and Rainbow Dash and Applejack are nose and nose for first place!" Spike commented enthusiastically. The crowd's cheering became louder as the group of racers closed in on the finish.

"Come on, Rainbow, you can do it...you can do it!" Stormcloud cheered his daughter on, his encouragement not even coming close to overcoming the volume of the crowd.

"Give it all you've got, sweetheart!" Firefly cheered.

The ground began to vibrate as dozens of galloping hooves got closer and closer. When it was apparent that no one would be overtaking the pair in front, the racers a few paces behind them began to cheer as well. Stormcloud and Firefly began to tear up at the overpowering encouragement the crowd, and other racers, were giving their daughter.

"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!" a group of onlookers began to cheer and chant.

The screaming and cheering became only louder, mixed with the galloping hooves, as the two leaders weren't giving each other an inch.

Then, mere feet from the finish line, Rainbow gave one final bound, and tore the finish line tape a fraction of a second before Applejack.

Stormcloud and Firefly lost themselves in cheering for their daughter, and didn't see her somersault end over end several times before coming to a halt, immediately being helped up by Applejack.

The photo finish pony ejected the photo from his instant-develop camera, and confirmed that Rainbow had won the Running of the Leaves.

SEVERAL MINUTES LATER

"And Rainbow Dash, it is absolutely astounding what you have accomplished. You've not only fought a rigorous physical battle of recovery, but an emotional one as well."

Celestia unfurled the gold medal, and with the greatest of care, she gently placed it around Rainbow's neck, before putting her rainbow-dipped hoof on the Pegasus' shoulder.

"Congratulations."

Rainbow gave her a polite bow, as did Applejack and the third place racer.

After the Winner's Circle ceremonies, the rest of the day's festivities began. All around the starting and finishing area, picnics and games began. The Princess took her time enjoying the relaxing time with her subjects. Fall was one of her favorite seasons. She noticed that Rainbow Dash and Applejack had not stayed, and had opted to return to the farm. She thought this was for the best; regardless of her just winning a marathon, Rainbow was still very much in recovery.

As mid-day gave way to afternoon and evening, the games wound down, Ponyville's town folk sat down to a few bonfires across the hills, and as Celestia took a moment to set the sun to make way for Luna's stars and moon, ponies finally started returning to their homes. The stars and moon were bright in the sky by the time the last bonfire was doused, and the last of the equipment was hauled away.

Celestia herself was about to retire back to Canterlot when she heard somepony behind her call her.

"Ex-excuse me, Your Highness? May we have an audience with you?" the male voice said.

Celestia turned, and saw two Pegasi, a gray male and a pink female.

"It's awfully late, my loyal subjects. Don't you want to get home and rest?"

"Please, Your Majesty. It's...it's important, to us. I...we...need your advice."

Celestia considered their words, as well as their expressions, carefully, and noticed something...desperate...about the pair's eyes.

"Certainly, my little ponies. What can I do for you?"

The gray Pegasus took a step forward.

"Your Highness, my name is Stormcloud. I'm the new manager of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. This is my wife, Firefly. Rainbow Dash..." he stopped to take a breath.

"Rainbow is our daughter. We...we haven't spoken to her in three years. Not since she ran away."

"Oh? Why did she run away?" Celestia asked, taking a seat on the grass.

"We had an argument after she had gotten expelled from flight school for getting into fights. We told her to either apologize to the school, or leave the house. She took off into the night, and we haven't approached her since. And..."

Stormcloud again had to pause to keep himself composed.

"And when we heard about what happened at Sugarcube Corner, we got to the hospital as soon as we could. When we got there, we were refused. The receptionist told us she had been given specific instructions to not let any immediate family in. We...we didn't take that too well."

Celestia continued to listen, and Firefly stepped up to join her husband.

"We just want to know where we went wrong, why she's still so angry at us. We're sorry to come to you with this, but...we have nowhere else to turn." she said.

Celestia smiled gently at them.

"Well, the first thing you have to do is know and understand why she's angry. Other than the fights in school, was she well-behaved?" Celestia asked them.

Stormcloud immediately nodded.

"Absolutely. She's always been a bit competitive, but the fights at school was the first trouble we had with her."

"Alright. So when the fights started, did you wonder what was going on? Did you talk to the teachers?"

The parents shook their heads.

"We didn't talk to the teachers until after numerous fights. They just told us to get her under control."

"Honestly, my ponies, the Cloudsdale flight school has always had an unbalanced instructor-to-student ratio. Perhaps they weren't addressing the source of the problem."

Firefly turned to Stormcloud. "She did say one time she tried asking the teachers for help, but they were always busy with other students."

"Chances are, physically defending herself was her last resort. It was a cry for help."

They understood what Celestia was politely and subtly saying: You were ordering your filly around when you should have been listening to her.

"Also, kicking a child out of their home almost never has the desired result, as I'm sure you've noticed now. She had tried everything she knew how, she was back up against the edge of a cliff, and what you essentially did was throw her off the edge."

Stormcloud looked like he had been stabbed in the heart.

"Make no mistake, that's why she's still angry at you. She was crying for help, and instead of listening, you showed her the door. She was alone. She had no one. I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this."

Stormcloud's eyes widened, and with a gasp, he fell to his knees and began to cry.

"Oh, what have I done...?" he asked. Firefly stepped over and leaned down to comfort her husband.

"You were only doing what you thought was best."

"What kind of father thinks it's best to kick their bullied daughter to the curb? What kind of father does that?" he asked in return.

Celestia stepped forward.

"Based on what I see before me, a loving, caring, imperfect father, who's ready to correct his mistakes."

"Your Majesty, what do I do? I'd give anything to speak to her again, but...but I don't think I could handle being rejected by her again." Stormcloud said through his tears.

"I'll be honest. What you two did that night probably severely wounded your relationship with your daughter. But all wounds, properly cared for, heal with time. And that's what this is going to take. Time. Likely, more of it than you want. Give yourselves more time. Wait until you're not afraid. Wait until it feels right to approach her and apologize."

Stormcloud looked up at her, tears glazing his eyes.

"How will I know when the right time is?"

Celestia placed her liquid rainbow-covered hoof on the distraught father's shoulder.

"Your heart will know."

PONYVILLE URGENT CARE

THREE WEEKS LATER

"In all my years, I've never seen anything like this. It defies all medical reasoning." was the doctor's reply upon getting Rainbow checked over when Twilight and the others came rushing into the Care Center with the unconscious Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash slowly felt herself return to the physical world. It felt like she'd been sleeping for a week. Her black vision cleared, and she saw blurry outlines of her friends around her bed, in what looked like a hospital room.

"Hey everypony, she's waking up" she heard Fluttershy say as her ears cleared up. With a groan, she sat up, and saw her four friends and Spike were looking at her with smiles of disbelief.

"Rainbow...your...your..." AJ couldn't even get the sentence out, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Rainbow groaned again. Her chest was sore, she felt light-headed, her wings felt-

Dash looked like she had just been struck by lightning. Slowly, in disbelief, she turned her head to confirm what she was feeling.

There they were. Her wings. Fully intact. Her mouth fell agape. She turned her torso, and slowly unfurled them.

The tip of each feather now had bright pink barbs, like the very ends of each one had been dipped in cotton candy. It seemed to contrast perfectly with the rest of the cyan color of the wings.

Rainbow was beyond words. She became even more perplexed as she looked over the rest of her body. The rest of the scars from that tragic night were still there; the skin tear going down her back from the base of her left wing to her tail, the scars around her cutie marks; even the scar from the hours-old stab wound was still there on her chest.

She looked at all her friends wordlessly as tears welled up in her eyes. All of them were also beyond words. Rainbow noticed that the cut on Applejack's cheek had also started to heal up.

Without so much as a word, Rainbow bolted up out of her bed, the sheets falling off to the side and the suction-cupped wires popping off simultaneously as Rainbow hit the floor and shot out of the room.

"Rainbow!" Applejack called after her. She didn't stop.

She galloped passed orderlies and nurses just getting on their shifts, and slid through the swinging doors to the front waiting room. Not stopping there, she sped through the double doors of the entrance out into the Ponyville morning, spread her wings, and with all her might, leaped into the sky.

Beating her wings furiously, she rapidly gained altitude, and was already 100 feet up by the time her friends rushed out to the front of the care center to see where she had gone. Rainbow lost herself in the euphoria of flight, for the first time in what honestly felt like a lifetime. She soared above the cloud cover, and stopped flapping her wings. Her ascent stopped, and she was suspended in midair for a single breath, and watched the sunrise for a split second, before falling back down under the clouds. Her tears of joy were lost to the wind as she quickly flew down back to the front of the Care Center, touching down lightly, and crying with happiness. Applejack was the first to come up to her and embrace her.

"Congratulations, sugarcube." Applejack said, tearing up a bit herself.

As all of her friends came and congratulated her on her miraculous recovery, something in Rainbow's mind clicked. This wasn't some otherworldly healing Pinkie had just done. That was evident enough by the scars that remained.

No, this was a gift, a final farewell from a departed friend. And it would be one that she would cherish forever.

SWEET APPLE ACRES

TWO WEEKS LATER

Applejack had to be honest. A small part of her expected Rainbow to up-and-leave now that she had her wings back. But she didn't. She still got up at the crack of dawn every morning with her, and helped with all the chores around the farm. She even swam in the lake almost every day.

So when Applejack came back from the market one afternoon, she knew something was amiss when she saw Rainbow sitting on the bed in their room, her back to her, crying.

"Rainbow? What's wrong, hun?"

Rainbow, shoulders heaving, merely pointed a hoof at the nightstand, where a folded piece of paper sat on top of a torn envelope. Applejack walked to the nightstand, picked it up, and read to herself.

_Dear Rainbow Dash,_

_I would first like to congratulate you on your astounding recovery. It must feel great to fly again._

_Secondly, the purpose of this letter is to bring you an offer. For this upcoming season, we would like to elevate you from your position as an honorary Wonderbolt to a full performing member. No audition necessary, Dash. We know you've got what it takes._

_We look forward to hearing from you._

_Sincerely,_

_Spitfire_

_Wonderbolts Captain_

Applejack immediately set the letter down, came up on the bed, and gave Rainbow a tight hug.

"Oh, congratulations, Rainbow! Joining the Wonderbolts is what you've always wanted! Why are you crying?"

Rainbow sniffled, looking at the floor.

"It's not that, AJ."

"Then what's wrong?"

Rainbow looked her in the eyes.

"I...I don't want to leave you."


	14. Epilogue: The Rainbow After The Storm

Rainbow After The Storm

by milesprower06

A/N: I just want to take a short author's note, and thank you all for reading this story of mine. Also, I encourage everyone reading this to cherish each and every day of their lives, because you never know when it's going to end. Due to a serious truck accident and a brush with death, you truly don't know how it could've ended very differently, and you may have never gotten this last entry. So thank you.

Epilogue

The Rainbow After The Storm

SWEET APPLE ACRES

"Rainbow, I don't want you to give up your lifelong dream for me, d'ya hear?"

"Applejack, you helped me get through the hardest ordeal I've ever been through in my life."

"Yep, now you're through it, and now you can go after what you've always wanted."

Rainbow looked hurt.

"AJ, are...are you saying you want me to leave?"

"What? No! No, no. Sugarcube, you can do whatever you want. It's your decision. Mah' point is, Pinkie gave you an amazing, wonderful gift. She gave you a second chance to go get what you've wanted since you were a little filly."

"I don't know. I mean, I'm very, very happy to have my wings back. But, I'm not sure if it's what I want most anymore. I want to be with you, most of all."

"Rainbow, I really think you need to take a step back and look at the whole picture. You've wanted to be a part of the Wonderbolts for years. Our relationship is barely a few weeks old.

"And in that few weeks, I've realized how much you mean to me. I'd...I'd miss you."

"And I'd miss you too, sugarcube. But I really think you should go and give this a shot."

Rainbow turned to look out the bedroom window for a few moments, and then back at Applejack.

"You really think so?"

"If you don't like it, I doubt anything would stop you from flying back down here to the Acres, Rainbow. I just don't want you passing this opportunity up without even considering it. You'll get a lot more use from your wings up there performing than you would down here doing chores."

Rainbow smiled at her best friend. Taking her advice to heart, she nodded.

"Okay, Applejack. I'll try not to miss you too much while I'm up there."

"Sweetheart, I won't be surprised if you hardly think of me. You'll be too busy becoming the best Wonderbolt ever. Now get to writing that acceptance letter, ya hear?"

Rainbow gave Applejack a hug, and got to work on replying to Spitfire's offer.

Applejack got up from the bed and went to help make dinner. All the while, she tried to make her heart stop aching. The truth was, she would miss Rainbow terribly. But she didn't want Rainbow to turn her back on her dreams for a life on the farm. It just didn't seem right with the gift Pinkie had given her. The rest of the day went as it usually did. The family sat down to dinner, Applejack finished up some lingering chores around the farmhouse, and Rainbow took Gummy out to the lake for an evening swim.

The next morning, Rainbow had completed her letter to Spitfire. Getting up even earlier than Applejack, she gently woke her to let her know she was taking the wagon to take care of something in Ponyville, and she'd be back by late morning. With that, Rainbow went to the barn to get the wagon, got hooked up, and on her way out the front gate, slipped the letter to Spitfire into the mailbox.

PONYVILLE

TWO HOURS LATER

The town-wide recovery efforts from the quake had been slow and steady the past couple weeks. Damage had appeared light, but building inspectors wanted to be absolutely sure that no subtle structural damage occurred that might have dire consequences in the weeks and months to follow. One pony in particular, was glad to see the town's attention had turned towards recovering and repair, and away from him.

Marty's goal now was to try and prevent complete financial fallout, which would force him to move his family away from Ponyville. He figured his first order of business was aiding with recovery efforts. He began that task by donating all the fresh water and produce he had to volunteers working around town. The immense generosity had paid off. Slowly, as the days passed, he began to get customers back, as the townsfolk began to realize that he now honestly regretted his actions. But he didn't yet have enough money to repair his front display window.

So that morning, he was quite surprised to see Rainbow Dash waiting in front of his store with a cart. In the cart, carefully resting against one side, was a pane of glass.

"Uh, um...good morning, Rainbow. Can I help you?" was all he could muster into a greeting.

"Yeah, you can help me get this thing out of my cart so I can be on my way." Rainbow said, motioning to the pane of glass.

"But...why would-"

"Alright. I do not want to sit here and talk about this, okay? I'm not here to say you were wrong and I was right; none of that. I broke your window, here's a replacement. Now do you want it or not?"

Marty decided to take the hint and shut up. He walked over to the cart and helped Rainbow lift the glass out of the back and gently set it against the front wall of his store.

"Thanks." he said to her as she got refastened in the cart.

"Yeah..." was all she said before departing. She didn't even look back. Marty, as confused as he was about what just happened, couldn't help but smile a bit.

When she got back to the farm, Applejack asked Rainbow if she needed help packing.

"Nah, I don't think I'm gonna be packing anything. I'll just take some bits. I really don't know what to expect, but I probably won't need my luggage. Besides, I'll always consider this my home."

Two days later, Rainbow was helping AJ with some apple dishes in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. They stopped what they were doing, and went to answer. Rainbow opened the door, and there stood Spitfire, surprisingly not in uniform.

"Hey there, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow wasn't quite sure how to respond. Conflicted inside, here she was, standing in front of one of her biggest idols, and also, knew that it meant that she would be leaving the farm shortly.

"Uh, hi Spitfire. I hope ya don't mind, but I'm not taking much along with me."

"Hey, it's cool. Just bring whatever you feel like. Even though we're foregoing the audition in your case, we start training in a few days for this next tour we're doing, so we've got to get you situated up in Cloudsdale. Then we'll discuss what we'll be doing for the show. Are you ready?"

At first, Rainbow nodded, then hesitated.

"I just...I just don't know. I mean, normally, this would be a dream come true. But...I just want you to understand my hesitation here. Applejack here has done more for me than anypony else. She's the reason I'm still here. And a small part of me feels that by joining up with you guys and following my dream, that I'm abandoning her here."

Spitfire nodded empathetically.

"Sugarcube..." Applejack began. "Please don't view it like that. Yeah, I'll be honest, I'm gonna miss you very, very badly, especially considering how far we've come the past few weeks. But knowing that you're out there doing what you've been dreaming of since you were a filly, that will make it hurt less, darlin'. I promise."

"Leaving your friends and family isn't easy, Rainbow. It's your choice. You wouldn't be leaving them for good, but I won't sugarcoat it for you. Our tours around Equestria usually take several months. We'd be thrilled to have you, but we'd certainly understand if you can't leave this behind." Spitfire told her, letting her know there was no pressure to her decision.

Rainbow swallowed, fought back the tears, then nodded again.

"I'll do it. I'm ready."

Spitfire smiled. "I'll give you a few minutes, then. I'll be waiting by the front gates."

The undressed Wonderbolt left the front door, leaving Rainbow and Applejack to their farewells. Rainbow went to their room, and tugged on her Wonderbolt hoodie, that Rarity had immediately offered to tweak for her by adding holes for her wings. She came back to the door, and gave Applejack a tearful hug.

"The first chance I get, I'm coming back here to visit." Rainbow shakily said.

"Ah look forward to seein' ya, sweetheart. Give it all ya can. I'll always be here for you if ya need anythin' at all."

With that, the two ponies released each other, and Applejack watched as Rainbow trotted down the front path to the waiting Spitfire, who gave her a smile, and they took off into the skies.

As the pair of Pegasi faded into the horizon, Applejack felt like she had lost a part of herself. Her heart aching, she went back inside, and continued her cooking in the kitchen to try and get her mind off Rainbow's departure.

CLOUDSDALE

WONDERBOLTS HEADQUARTERS

Rainbow stood in awe at the interior of the Wonderbolts HQ. When the Wonderbolts weren't on tour or didn't feel like going home when on a break, this was the place they came. To Rainbow, it was almost as impressive as the Cloudiseum. Portraits of past Wonderbolts lined the front halls. Framed newspaper clippings of record breaking sales or performances also lined the walls among them among them.

Spitfire gave Rainbow the time to look around, taking it all in, and then when she was satisfied, they continued down the west hallway.

"So when do I get my uniform?" Rainbow asked. She loved her hoodie that Rarity made, but she couldn't wait to see how she looked in an official Wonderbolt uniform.

"Well, that's the thing, Rainbow. Before we do that, we want to run an idea by you." Spitfire told her, before leading her into the cafeteria. There, at the single, large, round table were eight more Wonderbolts. Rainbow recognized them all. Soarin, Blaze, Firestreak, Fleetfoot, High Winds, Lightning Streak, Rapidfire, and Misty. Some had been the celebrity judges for the Best Young Flier Competition, and others she recognized from the VIP Section at the Grand Galloping Gala. With Rainbow and Spitfire coming to sit down, the table's occupancy reached ten Pegasi. Each greeted her with warm smiles.

Dash was beside herself. It took considerable and visible effort to not go into her usual fangirl mode. Here she was, sitting down to lunch with NINE Wonderbolts.

"Wow, wow, wow! I...I never thought I'd ever be here with you guys!" Rainbow said with a squee. Rainbow's demeanor brought some light chuckles from some others at the table. Obviously, this type of excitement among new recruits was nothing new, and veterans never tired of it. They always appreciated the enthusiasm.

"So what's this idea you wanted to tell me?" she asked, sitting down in between Spitfire and Soarin, as the chefs brought out crispy hayfries and stormcloud soup.

"Well, Rainbow. I'll get right to the point. After we invited you to become a Wonderbolt, we decided we wanted to make this year's show about you." Spitfire told their new recruit. Rainbow's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"A-about me?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. Your story, your journey, and your experience over the past two months." Soarin added.

Rainbow smiled.

"Honestly, it feels like a lot longer than that." she said, thinking back to all that had happened since that night.

"So what do ya say, Rainbow Dash? Do you want to have your story told by the Wonderbolts?"

Suddenly, an epiphany hit Rainbow. This was her chance. She could tell the story her way. It would be on a stage that half of Equestria would see. But how could she put her experience into a Wonderbolts airshow? It was this last question that she posed to the nine Wonderbolts at the table.

"That's what this get-together is for. Toss around ideas and suggestions, and above all, make sure it fits in with how you want it to be told," Spitfire said.

Ideas and scenarios began flying through Dash's head. The first thing to come to Rainbow's mind, was that if they were going to actually pull this off, even with a team of Wonderbolts behind her, that the most crucial component was absent.

"Well, I have an idea, but it will require something that the Wonderbolts have probably never done before."

THE NEXT DAY

Applejack's curiosity had been piqued, to say the very least. Rainbow hadn't even been gone a day, and now here she was, with Twilight and Rarity in Twilight's weather balloon, ascending to the Wonderbolts Headquarters in Cloudsdale. Each of them had gotten a priority-delivered letter from Rainbow last night, saying she needed to see all of them about something important. So the next morning, Twilight gave each of them the Cloudwalker spell, and here they were.

"What do you think she wants?" Twilight asked.

"Ah haven't the faintest clue, Twi," AJ replied.

The weather balloon poked through Cloudsdale's bottom cloud surface, and Rainbow's directions were on the money, as they were right at the front steps of the very impressive-looking Wonderbolts HQ.

Rainbow awaited them at the top of the steps. She beamed upon seeing her friends. Applejack jumped out of the balloon, and galloped towards Rainbow. The farm pony threw her front hooves around the Pegasus.

"Long time no see," Rainbow joked, but AJ's reaction was understandable. They hadn't spent more than a day away from each other in over a month. They released each other as the two unicorns came up the steps.

"So what's this all about, Rainbow?" Applejack asked. Rainbow cleared her throat, and began.

"Guys, the Wonderbolts want to to this year's airshow about me; about what I went through these last two months."

"That's fantastic, darling. But, what does that have to do with us?" Rarity asked.

"Everything. I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for all of you. I couldn't think of trying to make this show without having you guys be a part of it."

"But, what about Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.

"I sent her a letter too. She got back to me surprisingly fast. She appreciated the gesture, but she couldn't leave her animals. But I figured you could find a replacement librarian for awhile, Twi. Your knowledge of magic could make some seriously awesome special effects. Rarity, they want me to be the center of this show, and I can't think of anypony better who could make the most amazing, most stunning flight suit ever."

Lastly, she turned to Applejack.

"AJ...I know it isn't the easiest thing to ask of you...to find a replacement at the Acres for this long of a time. But you saved my life. You're the reason I'm here. You helped me start a life on the ground. I couldn't imagine telling this story without the most important mare in my life. And...Soarin's prepared to sweeten the pot. He sais if you can get him one of your apple pies after each show, he'll guarantee the Apple family a prime vendor spot for each performance."

Rainbow studied the looks of thought and consideration on the faces of her friends.

"So what d'ya say?"

CLOUDSDALE CLOUDISEUM

SIX MONTHS LATER

Rainbow stood at the curtain that separated the backstage from the main performance area. She felt like her whole body was on pins and needles. She had never felt this nervous in her life. She looked over at the wall, at the poster for this year's show.

THE RAINBOW AFTER THE STORM

Airshow performance of Rainbow Dash's incredible story of survival, followed by freestyle.

"Nerves, Rainbow?" Spitfire asked, coming up next to her.

"Yeah, just a little," Rainbow admitted.

"You'll be fine. This is gonna be one of our greatest shows ever. I know it. You've come a long way these past six months. We all have."

Indeed they did. Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack had all agreed to participate in the airshow. Rainbow turned her head to look at herself, and the incredible outfit Rarity had made.

It was the same navy blue as the regular Wonderbolt uniforms, but there were a few key differences, seeing as how she was supposed to be the focus of this show. On the uniforms flanks, her own cutie mark had been expertly embroidered, the materials carefully chosen, so it almost seemed to shine. Then, Rainbow opened her wings, and looked at what was by far the most intricate and beautiful part of the outfit.

Rarity had painstakingly crafted a second pair of glass wings that acted almost like a sleeve to Rainbow's regular wings. Each 'feather' was an individual piece of glass. Rainbow had to practice for a couple weeks to get used to the added weight, but the glass wings could fold, unfold, flap, and move in any fashion her regular wings could, and was designed to serve as one of the show's most awe-inspiring special effects. Rarity was picky down to the last detail, as the last layer of glass feathers were a rich cotton candy pink.

"We're live in two minutes!" the stage director said. Rainbow gulped.

"You'll do fine, Rainbow. You've got your friends all here with you. Besides, we know you can. We've got this thing memorized."

"I can't believe I'm here. A flight school dropout at the center of a Wonderbolts show..." Rainbow said, as much to herself as it was to Spitfire, who scoffed.

"Pfft. You think you're the only dropout who became a Wonderbolt? You'd be wrong there, Dash." Spitfire said with a wink, and then trotted off to take her place. That little revelation did wonders to calm Rainbow's nerves. She sneaked a peak between the curtains. There, in the front row, she saw Fluttershy with Scootaloo, who was eagerly awaiting the performance. Then the Cloudiseum went dark, as stagehands brought cloud cover over the bright sunny sky, followed by black thunderheads, that began to rumble.

Rainbow took a deep breath. This was it. She got down into a hunched position. She heard the director count down "Three...two...one..."

With a leap and powerful flap of her wings, she bolted out of the curtains onto the main stage area.

Five more Wonderbolts were already flying in a circle formation, causing the clouds the stagehands were bringing in to spin into what looked like a considerable storm system. Had this not been an airshow with what promised to be very convincing special effects, the audience might have begun to seek cover.

Rainbow began her routine, as the stage got darker and darker as thunder continued to rumble. She wowed the spectators by doing all sorts of aerial maneuvers, weaving in and out of the flying formations of the circling Wonderbolts.

Slowly and subtly, sickly, crimson pink trails began to form in the wake of half of the Wonderbolts, and as Rainbow began to move her routine to the center of the stage, they began to swoop at her. With how dark the arena was getting, it seemed as if these flying pink lasers were attacking Rainbow, as she began to appear to lose focus, as her flight path wavered. The other two Wonderbolts had bright, lively pink trails behind them, and they tried desperately to intercept the sickly pink trails, to no avail.

But again, this was all part of the act. This was one of the more complex maneuvers. The Wonderbolts were actually appearing to impact with her. Then, out of nowhere, came a sixth. The brightest of the pink trails came from above, at a bomb dive towards Rainbow, who was floundering in midair.

Unbeknown to the audience, this sixth Wonderbolt was nothing; nothing but a magical illusion, compliments of Twilight. And as the apparition flew directly down through Rainbow Dash, Rarity, hidden off on the side of the stage, used her magic to trigger the actuator on Rainbow's uniform, and the glass wings went fully erect, and appeared to shatter.

The audience gasped at the act. From their distance, the glass wings appeared real, and as the glass feathers proved the perfect distraction, Rainbow quickly drew in her real wings, slipping them into a hidden second layer of fabric in the uniform. For all intents and purposes, Rainbow appeared wingless as she plummeted towards the bottom of the stage, where she landed on a pitch black thundercloud, which appeared to swallow and envelope the Pegasus.

The magical thundercloud rumbled softly, mimicking a struggling and failing heartbeat, as Twilight levitated the individual glass feathers around the clump of thundercloud, like satellites in orbit.

Then the beating stopped.

The audience murmured as the stage went dead silent for a few moments as the five Wonderbolts all scattered to the outside of the arena, and the glowing glass feathers slowly lost their glow and appeared to fall from the Cloudiseum.

Then came another player. A glowing white path of cloud appeared in front of the pony clad entirely in black, hiding their every feature. She ran for the center of the stage, towards the black thundercloud, and dove into it.

A spotlight came on above the stage, illuminating the thundercloud as it began to unfold, there laid Rainbow, who appeared wingless and unconscious, with the black anonymous pony sitting at her side, as it began to rain. It took a few moments for the audience to realize that a bowl of clouds had been placed at the floor of the arena in the darkness, and had begun to fill with water.

Scootaloo and Fluttershy smiled, as they knew what was coming. They had both been invited to rehearsals, and Scoots was quite proud of the fact that she had suggested this to Rainbow.

Down on the thundercloud, Rainbow slowly got to her feet. Hunkering down for just a moment, she leaped off the thundercloud with the black-clad pony down into the cloud bowl of water. When they hit the water, it was revealed where the Wonderbolts had gone, as the five of them erupted up out of the water, creating impressive geysers. They continued this pattern, flying up, over the crowd, out of the Cloudiseum, to fly down and under and up through the cloud bowl again, which was constructed of enchanted cloud that didn't leak when the Wonderbolts shot through them. Twilight used magic to keep the geysers formed, and soon, the Wonderbolts had created an intricate web of flowing geysers.

As the geysers slowly shrunk down, tree-shaped clouds materialized where they dipped back into the bowl. Together, Rainbow and her anonymous companion swam and leaped out of the water, dissipating the clouds one by one, as the Wonderbolts continued their geyser forming. Then, Rainbow's routine changed. As she kept leaping at the cloud trees, she grabbed a clump of cloud from them and then brought it to the center thundercloud, and began forming a structure. As they jumped through more and more of them, the pieces became clear – the memorial fountain in Ponyville. Twilight's magic assisted with having water flow in and out of it.

Then, lightning began to flash in the once-again-darkening skies above. A Wonderbolt with the sickly pink glow bombdived the cloud fountain, and Twilight assisted the maneuver with a bright, shimmering explosion as the flier shot down through the fountain, and then back up, as the arena appeared to shake violently. The Wonderbolt descended again, this time towards Rainbow and her companion.

Suddenly, a bright, vivid pink glow shot up from the fountain's remains, and collided head on with the descending Wonderbolt. A mass deceleration spell kept the appearance of a blindingly fast impact, but kept the two Wonderbolts unharmed as they went into a frienzied routine of midair combat. Rainbow and her companion looked on in awe, and the dark pink glowing Wonderbolt descended towards Rainbow, eluding the bright pink flier. Twilight charged up her horn, and just as the crimson pink Wonderbolt collided with Rainbow, a green pillar of flame shot up from the remains of the fountain, and arced towards the pair, seemingly happening in an instant. Enveloping the two, the fire spiraled up and out of the Cloudiseum. When it finally dissipated, Rainbow again lay motionless on the central black thundercloud, as the bright pink orb-disguised Wonderbolt slowly descended to them. The Wonderbolt dipped below the clouds, but the pink glowing orb stopped when it reached Rainbow. Twilight used a levitation spell to levitate the ragdoll Rainbow up into the air with the pink orb. It got brighter, expanded, and with a flash, dissipated, and in that moment, Rainbow spread her wings, and took off up into the air, quickly followed by the team of five Wonderbolts from below, causing five last geysers.

Lightning bolts crackled in the wake of the Wonderbolts as they got in formation around Rainbow in a star formation, as they performed a vertical 180, and dove back towards the Cloudiseum. Due to the formation of Wonderbolts, the wake that began to form around Rainbow was much larger than when she did this maneuver at the Best Young Flier competition. Very impressively, the Wonderbolts began to spin their star formation, and the mach cone began to twist. Rainbow spun at the same speed, to keep the cone stable as they gained speed. Just before they came to the topmost row of spectators, the cone exploded into a much larger Sonic Rainboom, which spiraled wildly outward throughout the Cloudiseum. The entire arena filling with a vivid spectra, Rainbow rapidly decelerated, the Wonderbolts surging past her, as she slowed just in time to come to a rest on the thundercloud, her and her companion becoming surrounded by bolts of lightning.

Stepping in close to her anonymous rescuer, there lips met in a kiss, accompanied by a warm glow courtesy of Twilight., and the crowd began to cheer at an unbelievable volume. The five Wonderbolts came up as the two ponies broke the kiss. Twilight and Rarity came to center stage from the path of cloud, and together, they took a bow, as the Pegasi continued to cheer.

As the 'Rainbow After The Storm' show was a bit shorter than a traditional Wonderbolts airshow, what followed for the next 30 minutes was a looser, less routine freestyle performance, where even Twilight was allowed to experiment and have fun with illusion and light tricks. After that, they again returned to the center stage, and took a bow. As the crowd began to filter out, they all found themselves backstage again, thrilled at their first performance.

"That was incredible, Rainbow! One of our best shows yet," Spitfire congratulated her. Rainbow's anonymous companion removed her black concealing outfit, and it was indeed none other than Applejack.

"Nice swimming there, AJ," Rainbow complimented.

As they discussed favorite parts of the show, Princess Celestia came backstage to congratulate them on quite the performance.

"Especially you, Rainbow. Your wings are beautiful, by the way," Celestia complimented.

"Thank you, your Highness.

"And, if you like, there are a couple of ponies who want to say hi to you."

Rainbow nodded, and stepped forward, eager and excited to meet her two newest fans. Celestia drew back the backstage curtain ten feet away, and Rainbow's eyes widened, as the two ponies came into view, and for the first time since that fateful night, she laid eyes on her mom and dad.

"Hey there, kiddo" Stormcloud greeted. Upon looking into his daughter's eyes, his eyes teared up a bit.

"Hi, sweetheart" her mom added, both of them having hopeful expressions on their faces.

Rainbow said nothing, her mouth fumbling, stunned, and unable to find any words. Stormcloud took a single step forward.

"Rainbow...I...there are no words to truly express how sorry we are about that night all that time ago. You were crying for help, we didn't hear you, and instead we blamed you for standing up for yourself the only way you could. It's a grudge you've rightfully held the past few years. I'd...we...we'd like to know if there's anything...anything at all we can do to repair what's been broken between us. If you're not ready, just say so, and we'll leave without another word. You can come to us whenever you want."

Rainbow continued to stare at her parents, just mere feet from her. After all this time...she felt a lump begin to form and rise in her throat. She began to cry.

"Come on, hun. Let's go." Stormcloud softly said to his wife, and they turned to leave, not wanting to upset their daughter any further.

Rainbow's shoulders heaved as tears began to flow from her eyes.

"W-wait. Wait!" she cried. Her parents stopped, turned back to her, and Rainbow galloped to them as if she had been longing for them all her life. As she rapidly closed the gap in what seemed like slow motion, she felt all these years of grief, anger, and sadness melt away from her heart. With the speed she approached them, the ponies present thought she would knock them over. Tears streaming down her face, she threw her front legs around her mom and dad.

"I'm sorry...oh I'm so so sorry!" she sobbed.

"Sweetheart, you have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing." Firefly said soothingly, all three ponies in the hug crying.

"Yes, yes I do. I should've let you see me at the hospital. I...I didn't want you to see me like that."

"It's all in the past now, Rainbow. We're so, so proud of you." Stormcloud told her.

Rainbow released them from the embrace, and turned to look at AJ, who was also visibly crying at the reunion. Rainbow waved a hoof for her to come and get introduced. Applejack walked to her, and Rainbow hugged her, and then turned to her parents.

"Mom, dad. This is Applejack. She's...she's..." Rainbow struggled to introduce the workhorse truthfully to her parents. She glanced at Applejack, who smiled with a look of encouragement.

"She's my girlfriend. She was the one that saved my life."

To Rainbow, the silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever. But in reality, it wasn't more than a few seconds.

"I'm so very pleased to meet you, Applejack." Firefly greeted. Her husband did more than that. He approached Applejack and gave her a hug.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving my little girl." he said.

"No thanks required, sir. Your daughter's somethin' special to me." Applejack replied, everypony in the group still quite emotional. "I wouldn't have had things turn out any other way. It was her running away that first brought her to my farm. She's simply the greatest friend I could ever ask for."

"And don't you two worry about what anypony else says," Stormcloud continued, releasing Applejack and addressing the both of them. "I can't pretend to understand it, but if you two make each other happy, then that's all the really matters."

_Dear Princess Celestia_

_Over the past several months, I realized one of the most important aspects not just of friendship, but of family too. Everypony has their flaws, and everypony makes mistakes, even big, life-changing ones. It takes a real friend to forgive those mistakes, and through that, miraculous healing can take place, emotionally and even physically, and that's the most powerful magic of friendship. There are times where it truly doesn't matter what somepony has done. All that matters is that they are your friend, they are your family, and if you can look past any fault, amazing things can happen._

_Your faithful subject,_

_Rainbow Dash_

SIX MONTHS LATER

_Dear Mom and Dad_

_I know that there's probably nothing I can write or say that will change the past three years. I know we all regret that night, and nothing we do will get us that lost time back. What's important is that we're back together. We're a family again, and we can start patching things up together._

_Dad, I think you and I should just stop dwelling on who was right and who was wrong that night. You were busy with your job still trying to be the best father you could, and I was a stressed, angry, kid who was sick and tired of getting bullied. Maybe we should just leave it at that._

_You don't know what it means to me that you accept Applejack and I for who we are. We mean the world to each other, and it makes me so happy that you're okay with that. The circumstances under which we found our love for each other could have been better, but what matters is that we found each other._

_See you guys next time I'm home!_

_Love always, your daughter,_

_Rainbow Dash_

Stormcloud smiled, reading the letter to himself as he had done numerous times since receiving it. He folded it back up, and placed it neatly back in his center desk drawer before getting up and going for the door, grabbing his hardhat before exiting his office to meet his guests for today.

DOWN AT THE FACTORY ENTRANCE

"Now class, it's important to stay in the group. We don't want anypony wandering off and getting lost. Once again, I'd like to thank Twilight for chaperoning, as well as providing the cloud-walking spell for the entire class."

"Thanks, Twilight." said the small class, at Cheerilee's beckoning.

"No trouble at all, my little ponies. Last time I was here, our tour was cut short because of the Best Young Flier's competition. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the factory, now that the Wonderbolts tour is finally over."

"Speaking of, where is Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked.

"She's with the rest of the team in Las Pegasus, celebrating their successful tour."

"Why didn't you go?"

"Oh, I'm not nearly enough of a party pony to adequately enjoy Las Pegasus."

"Good morning, everypony. It's not too often we get a class from down below for the tour of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. We're glad to have you all here!" Stormcloud said, coming down the stairs to the tour starting area.

"I can't wait to see how the weather's made!" Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, imagine that. A Pegasus who's never been to the Weather Factory" Sweetie Belle commented, getting a chuckle from some classmates, and a glare from Scoot, who then decided to drop the matter.

"Mr. Stormcloud, are we really gonna see the entire factory?" Scootaloo asked the factory director.

"You bet, champ. Every bit of it."

With a quick check of the clipboard, he prepared to start the tour.

"And you won't believe how the rainbows are made."


End file.
